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Hizbullah Rejects Israel-Lebanon Deal
(Ha'aretz) Jack Khoury - Hizbullah Secretary-General Naim Qassem on Saturday criticized the Israel-Lebanon framework agreement reached in Washington on Friday. Linking an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon to Hizbullah's disarmament throughout the country crosses "red lines," Qassem said. He said the agreement is a "humiliation, a disgrace," and called for the U.S.-Iran preliminary agreement to be implemented instead. The Shi'ite Amal Movement, led by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, also criticized the framework agreement, saying it "largely serves Israel." The movement emphasized its consistent opposition to holding direct negotiations with Israel. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the IDF had been ordered to "prepare for an extended stay in the security zone" in Lebanon. He added, "Iran tried to force Israel into withdrawing from Lebanon through threats and pressure on the United States - and failed. If Iran attempts to attack Israel to prevent the implementation of the agreement, we will act against it with great force and demonstrate the power gap that exists between us."