’Haaretz’: Security Belt in South Lebanon Illusion, Netanyahu Bolstered Hezbollah

By Staff, Agencies

“Israeli” “Haaretz” daily lamented the fact that the main outcome of the recent US-Iran talks in Switzerland has been Washington's de facto recognition of Iran as a partner in implementing a ceasefire in Lebanon, along with implicit acknowledgment of Hezbollah as a party to dialogue with which “Israel” must coordinate its responses.

Under the title, “Netanyahu Strengthened Hezbollah”, the paper argued that this development follows months of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's refusal to engage in “genuine” talks with the Lebanese government. These talks would have required mutual steps and concessions from both sides. Instead, the editorial charged, Netanyahu has “once again bolstered the extremists while weakening the moderates.”

"Haaretz" further warned that Netanyahu has placed “Israel” at a perilous crossroads. On the one hand, a withdrawal from Lebanon would grant Hezbollah greater national legitimacy and crown Iran's achievements as a “complete and real victory”. On the other, continued occupation of Lebanese territory could deepen, or complete, the rift with the US administration.

The editorial suggested that the least damaging option would be a gradual, yet complete, withdrawal from Lebanon, this time with full coordination with the Lebanese government, while seeking to reward Beirut rather than Hezbollah wherever possible.

"Haaretz" also asserted that “Israel” can’t guarantee the safety of its settlers through territorial control and occupation of lands that do not belong to it, while dismissing the concept of “security belts” as an illusion, arguing that their cost has proven far higher than their benefit.

Such approaches, it concluded, are no substitute for building relations based on agreements with regional states and for mending the fracture with the United States.

This closely follows talks between Iran and the United States in Switzerland; the first round of talks since reaching an agreement mediated by Pakistan on June 22. Among the key agreements were a Lebanon ceasefire monitoring mechanism, coordinated frozen Iranian assets release arrangements, and temporary sanction relief on the energy front.