The Post-Hezbollah Landscape: New Paths to Peace for Israel

In the new political landscape emerging after Israel’s war with Hezbollah, new paths to peace are opening up, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He announced Sunday that the conflict has redrawn the map of the possible, leading to direct talks with Syria and a new opportunity for an agreement with Lebanon.
The most significant new path leads directly to Damascus. Previously a dead end under the Assad regime, the road is now open for negotiations. A Syrian official has confirmed that the two countries are traveling this road together, hoping to reach a destination of a finalized security pact by the end of 2025.
In Lebanon, the path is being cleared of its biggest obstacle: Hezbollah’s independent military. Israel is continuing to remove this roadblock with military strikes, while the U.S. provides diplomatic support for the Lebanese army to take control. The Lebanese government has now started its own clearing operation by ordering the militia’s disarmament.
Netanyahu acted as a guide to this new landscape. “Our victories… have opened a window for a possibility that was not even imagined before,” he said, pointing out the new diplomatic routes. He confirmed “some progress” has been made along the path to Syria.
The contours of this new landscape are becoming clearer. A demilitarized zone is being charted with Syria. A plan for the Lebanese army to control the south is being drawn up in Beirut. These are the features of a new, and potentially more peaceful, northern border.