US Signs Conflicting Deals: Israel Can Stay in Lebanon, Iran Deal Says Leave

Israel killed an eight-year-old boy in Gaza on Monday. The drone strike hit Malik Wael Abu Shaweesh. This is not an isolated event. Since the ceasefire began, Israel has killed 1,048 people in Gaza. That is an average of four deaths per day. The killings happen quietly, away from media attention. A new UN report documents these deaths. The Independent International Commission of Inquiry says Israel deliberately kills children. Soldiers used children for target practice, the report states. One doctor told investigators that soldiers shot teenagers in different body parts each day. "There is a very clear pattern," the doctor said. The ceasefire deal, pushed by former President Donald Trump, is not working. Israel was supposed to leave Gaza in a second phase. Hamas returned all hostages. But Israel did not leave. Instead, its troops moved beyond the agreed lines. **Contradictory Agreements** The US has signed two agreements that directly conflict with each other. One is a memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran. It orders an "immediate and definitive end to military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon." It demands respect for Lebanon's sovereignty. The other is a new agreement between the US, Israel, and Lebanon. This deal authorizes Israeli military operations inside Lebanon. It ties Israel's withdrawal to the disarmament of Hezbollah. Daniel Levy, a former Israeli negotiator, explained the problem. "What we have now are two agreements that Israel can play against each other," he said. "The US signed both. In the Lebanon deal, Israel can create a security zone inside Lebanon. But the Iran-US deal demands unconditional withdrawal and respect for Lebanon's territory." Levy added: "In the Lebanon deal, Israel has a green light to stay until certain conditions are met. Israel has a lot of power over those conditions. This is a massive own goal by the Lebanese government." **Violence Continues** The conflicting deals are fueling more violence. Iran attacked a commercial ship after the US diverted shipping traffic away from the Strait of Hormuz. Iran sees this as a violation of their deal. The US bombed Iran in response. Iran then attacked another oil tanker and targets in Bahrain. The US hit back with larger strikes. Iran bombed Kuwait and Bahrain again. After the US announced the Lebanon deal, Iran launched missiles at Israel. This was a response to Israeli bombings in Beirut. **Legal Concerns** Legal experts criticize the Lebanon deal. Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch, said it includes a "clause of impunity for war crimes." The clause says Israel and Lebanon must stop all "hostile actions" in international legal institutions. Critics say this blocks accountability. Danny Citrinowicz, a senior researcher at Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Security Studies, is skeptical. "There is a fundamental gap between the parties," he said. "Israel believes it secured the right to stay in a security zone. The Lebanese government insists on a full Israeli withdrawal. The central assumption of the deal, that Hezbollah will disarm, is very questionable. This could become a justification for an indefinite Israeli military presence." **A Pattern** Israel accepted the Gaza ceasefire only under US pressure. Washington then looked away as Netanyahu continued operations without withdrawing. Israel criticized the Iran deal, then celebrated a new US-backed deal that allows it to stay in Lebanon. The US always has a hidden gift for Israel.