Peace initiatives for a ceasefire between Israel and the Hezbollah group in Lebanon are unrealistic in the near future, author and political analyst Beshara Khairallah said in an interview with the Saudi TV channel Al-Hadath, The Jerusalem Post reports.
“All this optimism is artificial. It’s an attempt to create the illusion that a deal is close, especially before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump,” Khairallah said.
Obstacles to peace
Khairallah stressed that there will be no agreements before 20 January, when Trump officially becomes US president. He also believes that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not allow incumbent President Joe Biden to win a diplomatic victory at the end of his term.
In addition, he stressed that Hezbollah’s independent military power and political influence in Lebanon are the main obstacles to any sustainable solution. “Any stability in Lebanon is possible only if Hezbollah is disarmed, which Iran will never allow,” the analyst said.
Iran and strategic concerns
According to Khairallah, Iran fears a ceasefire because it could create preconditions for an Israeli offensive on strategically important Iranian targets.
“The Iranians are afraid that the day after the war ends, Israel will advance its strategic goals. Therefore, any ceasefire is unacceptable to them,” he explained.
Peace agreements are a matter of the distant future
Khairallah concluded that even if settlement talks begin, they will not yield results in the near future. “The peace deal that Lebanon hopes for is still a long way off,” the analyst concluded.
Such statements underscore the complexity of the situation in the Middle East, where geopolitical interests, military influence and international politics intersect, creating protracted conflicts with no quick fixes.
