Israel has shifted its northern strategy from the battleground to the bargaining table, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He announced Sunday that the war against Hezbollah has successfully created the conditions for peace talks with Syria and a potential accord with Lebanon, marking a new phase in the region’s dynamics.
This shift is most evident with Syria. Following the collapse of the Assad regime, decades of hostility have been replaced by direct negotiations. The new Syrian government is actively engaged, with one of its officials expressing optimism about finalizing security and military pacts with Israel by the end of the year.
In Lebanon, the strategy is to continue degrading Hezbollah’s military power, thereby strengthening the position of the official state at the bargaining table. Israeli strikes persist despite a ceasefire, while the U.S. pressures the Lebanese government to disarm the militia, a process that is now officially underway.
Netanyahu explained the logic behind this new strategy to his cabinet. “Our victories in Lebanon against Hezbollah have opened a window for a possibility that was not even imagined before,” he said. He confirmed that talks with Syria are progressing, but cautioned that the process would be lengthy.
This move from battlefield to bargaining table is having tangible effects. The new Syrian president is negotiating a deal centered on an Israeli withdrawal in exchange for a demilitarized zone. The Lebanese government has announced a clear timeline to begin disarming Hezbollah in the south, a critical confidence-building measure.