'Lebanese official' to Israeli daily: This is the last chance for peace
Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth daily on Wednesday quoted a senior Lebanese official as telling it that Lebanon may be facing its “last chance” to achieve peace with Israel, urging the Israelis to give the Lebanese government time and political space to weaken Hezbollah and warning that continued Israeli military action could derail the process.
“Israel must help us. Israel must give us oxygen,” Yedioth Ahronoth quoted the alleged official as telling it in an exclusive interview. “The Lebanese people today dream of peace with Israel,” the official claimed.
The official, who said he was also conveying the views of other senior figures in Lebanon, said hopes for change grew after Israel killed longtime Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
“That hope began when Israel eliminated Nasrallah, who was the most powerful man in Lebanon and had taken the country hostage,” he said. “Hezbollah is Lebanon’s cancer, but for this to succeed, we need your help,” he added.
Yedioth Ahronoth said the conversation took place on the sidelines of the fourth Middle East-America Dialogue (MEAD) conference in Washington.
The conference brings together representatives from 24 countries, including the United States, Israel and countries across the Middle East, some of which do not have diplomatic relations with Israel.
The Lebanese official repeatedly stressed that the current moment could offer a rare opening for a fundamental change in relations between Lebanon and Israel -- but warned that the opportunity could pass.
“There is momentum now, but we lose it when we hear extremist ministers in Israel saying settlements should be established in Lebanon,” he said. “It’s stupid.”
“There is a consensus among all communities in Lebanon, except for the majority of the Shiites, that they want peace with Israel,” he said. “This is the last chance.”
The official said Israel must reassure the Lebanese public that it has no intention of permanently occupying Lebanese territory.
“Israel must guarantee to us that there will be no Israeli occupation in Lebanon,” he said. “You need to stop the rampaging of your soldiers in southern Lebanon. Stop burning areas with white phosphorus bombs designed to burn large areas. Your soldiers are stealing olive trees. Reports are being published in Lebanon about statements by your extremist ministers about establishing settlements in Lebanon.”
He added that Israel should publicly commit to withdrawing fully from Lebanon once Hezbollah is disarmed.
“You need to declare that when Hezbollah is disarmed, Israel will withdraw completely,” he said. “Then peace between the countries will be possible.”
“The Lebanese people never hated Israel,” he added. “It is not in the DNA of Lebanese people to hate Israel. There was hatred toward Israel after the Qana massacre in 1996, but not now.”
Peace would not come immediately, he cautioned, but he argued that the prospect was real if Israel took steps to strengthen rather than undermine Lebanon’s government.
“It will take time to reach peace, but it is possible,” he said. “We need positive steps from the Israeli side.”
“You need to understand that Lebanon is not Gaza,” he added. “Lebanon is a sovereign country with pride.”
The international community is supporting efforts to strengthen the Lebanese military, the official said, but building its capabilities will take time.
“Israel needs to give us a chance and not respond disproportionately to Hezbollah attacks, because Hezbollah wants to blow up the process,” he said.
The official accused Hezbollah of deliberately seeking to provoke an Israeli response that would undermine Lebanon’s government and derail the emerging diplomatic process.
“Hezbollah fires drones at IDF (Israeli army) forces in order to draw a disproportionate Israeli response, to blow everything up,” he said. “Israel needs to be more restrained in its use of force.”
He specifically urged Israel to avoid strikes in Beirut, saying such attacks carry particular political consequences.
“Israel needs to avoid attacking Beirut,” he said. “That is a sensitive point that greatly weakens the government.”
The official also drew a distinction between attitudes toward Israeli leaders. He said there was considerable respect in Lebanon for Israeli President Isaac Herzog, whom he described as “a true leader who speaks in a measured way.”
“Netanyahu is not held in high regard, although people thank him for eliminating Nasrallah,” he added.
Asked whether he could envision a future in which Israelis could travel to Beirut and eat Lebanese food there, the official said such a prospect was realistic if Hezbollah were disarmed.
“Why not?” he said. “After Hezbollah is disarmed, it is absolutely possible. It will take a few years, but it is achievable.”
He ended with an appeal for Israel to recognize what he described as the connection between Lebanese sovereignty, Hezbollah’s weakness and Israel’s own security.
“Israel’s security cannot come at the expense of Lebanon’s sovereignty,” he said. “When Israel withdraws from Lebanon, Lebanon will be stronger and Hezbollah will be weaker.”
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