Diplomacy is sometimes less the art of ending war than the art of transferring responsibility for it. Many agreements born in quiet negotiating rooms fail not because the parties disagree over principles, but because no one is willing to bear the cost of implementing them. The contemporary history of the Middle East has repeatedly shown that a deep gap exists between signing an agreement and carrying it out—a gap that is often filled by violence.

The latest U.S.-brokered talks in Rome have given the June 26 framework agreement between the United States, Israel, and Lebanon a new appearance of momentum. The discussions focused on proposed “pilot zones” in which Israel is to withdraw from parts of the occupied territories, the Lebanese Army is to deploy in the south, and armed groups—above all Hezbollah—are to withdraw and ultimately disarm. U.S. officials initially described the agreement as “the first step toward lasting peace” and have since called the Rome talks “productive and positive.” If one reads only the text of the agreement and the latest diplomatic statements, such optimism may seem understandable. The main issue, however, lies not in what has been written, but in what has not.

Nearly all discussions surrounding the agreement initially focused on one question: Would Hezbollah agree to disarm?

Hezbollah’s rejection of both the agreement and the demand that it disarm has now answered that question. But a more important one remains: What happens now that Hezbollah has refused?

Hezbollah’s rejection of both the agreement and the demand that it disarm has now answered that question. But a more important one remains: What happens now that Hezbollah has refused?

The answer is far from simple. Israel has repeatedly declared that its full withdrawal depends on Hezbollah’s disarmament. Hezbollah, in turn, has made it clear that it considers this condition a red line. The agreement is therefore built upon the very point on which the two sides continue to disagree. Such an agreement can have meaning only if there is a mechanism to resolve this deadlock.

But where is that mechanism?

In successful postwar settlements, the answer is usually........

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