The deal between the United States and Iran to end their war, negotiated in secret and still not revealed in detail, was greeted Monday with despair in northern Israel, joy in Lebanon, and a measure of relief among other people across the Middle East.

In Israel, some northern community officials lamented the deal and how it did not appear to provide them with the security against attacks from Lebanon that they had hoped for.

Eitan Davidi, chair of the Moshav Margaliot community council, said “the miserable ceasefire that has been forced [on us]” has left the north “with a continuous threat from Hezbollah,” the Israel Hayom newspaper reported.

He said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would have been better off not entering into the recent round of fighting “and leaving the situation the way it was before.”

The deal, he said, “takes us to a place of uncertainty… because security has not been restored. The complete opposite is true — the security situation here has deteriorated with the unfortunate agreement that President Trump is bringing upon us and with the prime minister’s consent and silence.”

Israel and the US launched a campaign against Iran on February 28 in a bid to destabilize the regime and destroy its nuclear and ballistic missile capacities. Iran responded with missile and drone strikes across the region — including at Israel — as did Hezbollah, which began to attack northern Israel with rocket and drone barrages. Israel responded with massive airstrikes and a ground invasion that displaced hundreds of thousands of southern Lebanese.

Though Iran has tied Lebanon to its negotiations with the US, Israel insists it is a separate issue, as Hezbollah remains able to strike Israel at will. Both Iran and Hezbollah are avowed to wipe out Israel, which was not involved in the negotiations for a truce. Direct negotiations with Lebanon’s government for a separate ceasefire, hosted by the US, have so far been unsuccessful.

Iran and mediator Pakistan say the agreement with the US provides for an end to the fighting in Lebanon, but Israeli ministers said forces will not be withdrawn from the country. Netanyahu did not immediately comment on the deal,........

© The Times of Israel