Israel’s goals in ...
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On the contrary, since the start of US-mediated talks, Israel has steadily expanded the territory under its control and pushed further forward. Today, it is openly discussing a three-stage plan that is even more dangerous than its previous proposals.
In the Iran negotiations, one possibility is that the Americans may formally accept Iran's conditions concerning Lebanon while quietly giving Israel a free hand in southern Lebanon, allowing it to continue its operations.
Another possibility is that the Americans genuinely want an arrangement to be reached. Beyond the Iran issue, there is also growing international pressure over Lebanon. Even the French have been exerting considerable pressure on Washington in this regard. Whether Netanyahu will ultimately heed Trump's wishes, however, remains an open question.
France has criticized Israeli advances into Lebanese territory and called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting. Can such political pressure alter the calculations of the parties involved and help contain tensions?
France's actions should be analyzed from two different angles. One concerns the withdrawal of the occupying force, and the other concerns France's determination to see Hezbollah disarmed.
What the French are advocating falls within the framework of UN Security Council resolutions, particularly those calling for the withdrawal of resistance forces north of the Litani River. The French have long insisted that Hezbollah's weapons south of the Litani be handed over to the Lebanese state so that Israel, in turn, would be compelled to comply with Security Council resolutions and withdraw.
However, I do not believe this issue will be resolved solely within the Security Council chamber. Much will also depend on developments on the ground in southern Lebanon and on how the resistance chooses to deal with this case.