An Israeli military official has considered Lebanon’s entry into the “Abraham Accords,” not just “preventing Hezbollah’s reconstruction,” as a very realistic matter that necessitates a swift redirection of diplomatic efforts, against the backdrop of ongoing “ground maneuvers” in Lebanon and the opportunity that arises from it.
Amit Yagur, former Deputy Head of the Palestinian Arena in the Planning Division of the Occupation Army and a reservist colonel, stated, “Lebanon’s entry into the Abraham Accords is very realistic, and the diplomatic effort in Lebanon, which is a decisive factor in this war and a small playground between the United States and Israel, and the new regional reality on one side versus Iran and the Axis of Resistance and the old regime on the other, must be quickly redirected.”
In an article published by Maariv newspaper, Yagur added, “I say this cautiously – I don’t think the decision-makers, especially in the United States, realize how important this is for the new regional reality after the war and the possibility of creating something completely different in Lebanon… something completely new, not just an improvement of the current situation.”
He explained, “These days, the diplomatic effort is taking shape in the north, and it is in advanced stages, while the military effort is about to conclude in its current form.”
According to Al-Akhbar newspaper, he revealed “some behind-the-scenes details about the American efforts in Lebanon, showing that the U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, Lisa Johnson, began holding meetings with Lebanese politicians and sectarian leaders, telling them: Israel cannot get everything in the war… It’s time for you to play your part and launch an internal uprising, the Lebanese people need to show their desire to rid themselves of Hezbollah.”
The ambassador reportedly asked, “Why do you appear scared? Hezbollah is defeated, its leadership is paralyzed, we are with you and the entire free world stands with you. We do not only want to limit Hezbollah’s influence, but we will also attack its support lines and work tirelessly to topple the regime in Iran.”
She mentioned that the United States is working to nominate the army commander, General Joseph Aoun, to be the President of Lebanon, adding, “He will be appointed as a strong army commander, and we will assist him. The army will curb all Hezbollah supporters, and you will have the full support of Arab countries and the West, but the time to act is now.”
According to reports, Israel has presented the following conditions: “The Lebanese army must work to dismantle the remaining infrastructure of Hezbollah in the region extending to the Litani River, and Israeli forces will remain in Lebanon until this step is completed.”
Yagur believed, “For this reason, it is wrong to merely aim at preventing the reconstruction of Hezbollah as a goal of diplomatic efforts in Lebanon, as this is a small and temporary goal, previously achieved after the Second Lebanon War but eroded over time.”
He added, “The goal should be to establish a new reality for Lebanon within a new and stable regional framework, not just keeping Hezbollah under control. Lebanon and Syria cannot be considered completely separate states due to the deep links between them which facilitate Iranian influence in both, hence, achieving stability in Lebanon also necessitates curbing Iranian influence in Syria.”
He noted that “UNIFIL forces have proven over time to be ineffective in preventing the rearmament of Hezbollah, rather their presence might provide a cover that allows things to remain as they are. The international forces, consisting of different nationalities who do not speak Arabic and do not have a deep understanding of the local situation, are less effective in executing their mission.”
Yagur mentioned, “If the goal is to permanently rescue Lebanon from Iran’s grip, then it must be thought of including it in the Abraham Accords with Israel… This will provide Lebanon with economic and political support from regional countries, isolate it from the Axis of Resistance, and open up economic and investment opportunities it desperately needs.”
He said, “Israel must declare its intention to establish normal relations with Lebanon, and affirm that it will not accept any agreement less than that, and Lebanon, for its part, should seek to integrate its army within a military framework that contributes to maintaining its stability with support from the Abraham Accords countries.”
Yagur urged that “Israel should insist on having the ability to enforce the prevention of Hezbollah’s rearmament itself, and that an effective arms embargo in Lebanon by land, air, and sea should be enforced, including the basic principles: Israel carrying out the enforcement measures itself using firepower, along with working on the Syrian-Lebanese border to stop the smuggling of arms from Iran, pushing Hezbollah beyond the Litani River, and enhancing the role of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon UNIFIL to be more active, with significant American participation in the implementation mechanism.”
He concluded that “in these circumstances, Lebanon could have a new role as a pivotal state in the new regional system that can change the face of the Middle East, benefiting from the support of the West and the moderate regional countries in the face of Iranian influence.”
This translation carefully adapts the original article’s tone and structure, maintaining a professional yet impactful representation of the issues and dynam
