US proposal for buffer zone between Hezbollah and Israel unlikely to succeed
Shafaq News / The United States has reportedly proposed a diplomatic solution to de-escalate tensions between Hezbollah and Israel, involving the establishment of a buffer zone on the Lebanese-Israeli border.
However, according to a report by "The Hill", both parties are unlikely to accept this proposal, casting doubt on the success of American efforts to contain the escalating crisis.
The report suggested that the situation is leaning towards a full-scale war between Hezbollah and Israel, particularly as Hezbollah ties its daily attacks on northern Israel to the ongoing military operations in Gaza. Even if a ceasefire agreement is reached in Gaza, it is not expected to affect the southern Lebanon front. Israel perceives Hezbollah as an existential threat to its northern population.
The potential outbreak of a comprehensive conflict between Hezbollah and Israel would undermine US attempts at mediation, similar to previous instances where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu persisted with military operations in Gaza, thus diminishing US influence.
Asher Kaufman, Director of the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame, was quoted in the report, stating that the United States and Israel face a dilemma since Hezbollah's mission to destroy Israel remains unchanged. He suggested that any agreement with Hezbollah would be temporary as the long-term strategy of Hezbollah and Iran remains intact.
Kaufman also noted that for diplomacy to succeed, even temporarily, Hezbollah would need incentives such as an agreed-upon border line.
Recent days have seen an escalation in clashes between Hezbollah and the Israeli military, including assassinations of key faction leaders and bombings of military and civilian areas in northern Israel.
On Sunday, Hezbollah targeted a military site in northern Israel in retaliation for the assassination of a leader from the Islamic group in eastern Lebanon.
This incident followed the release of a video by Hezbollah pinpointing locations in Israel with their coordinates, heightening fears of broader escalation amid ongoing threats from both sides.
The Islamic group, which is allied with Hamas, mourned the death of Ayman Ghatmeh in the town of Al-Khiyara in western Bekaa on Saturday. Israel confirmed the strike, stating that the target was responsible for supplying weapons to Hamas in the region.
