The Questions Hanging Over “Israel” in Face of Hezbollah: The Answers Point to a Proxy War on Lebanon
By Jihad Haidar
The Annual Strategic Assessment by the “Israeli” Institute for National Security [INSS] concluded that the essence of the crises facing Tel Aviv revolves around determining its course of action against Hezbollah. The questions hanging over “Israel” are presented as follows:
- How can one contribute to improving the situation of the population in Lebanon without indirectly strengthening Hezbollah? Is this possible?
- How can Hezbollah and Iran be prevented from taking full control of the Lebanese state?
- On the military level, should “Israel” change its methods against Hezbollah, and in particular, under what conditions is it required to directly target its precise capabilities in Lebanon?
Lebanon’s crisis: An “Israeli” proxy war
The questions – the crisis that "Israel" is facing – confirm that what Lebanon is going through is part of a war waged by the enemies of Lebanon and the resistance to subjugate it and strip it of its elements of power.
The questions reveal that Lebanon’s exposure to alternative methods to those of a military confrontation, which are still in the service of "Israel", do not depart from the main role of corruption and the economic and financial policies of the post-Taif regime in pushing Lebanon towards collapse.
- These questions show the American role in creating the crisis, its continuation, and its aggravation, in protecting the regime and its policies and key figures who pushed the country in this direction.
- They also reveal the role of the United States in explicitly preventing Lebanon from any radical treatment, away from its political and economic influence. Moreover, it exposes US contradictions in its management of the crisis, which are designed to impose American hegemony over Lebanon and achieve “Israel's” interests.
- "Israel’s" crisis surrounding its dilemma over effective options confirms the extent of the fears that the collapse of Lebanon will not achieve the desired goal in preoccupying the resistance, altering its direction, and draining it.
- The dilemma over options also confirms that the complete collapse of Lebanon will not result in the resistance losing its grassroots support. Hezbollah’s support base is aware of the background and objectives of the American-“Israeli” plan and recognizes it in terms of awareness, position, choices, and sacrifices.
- The questions – the crisis – also reveal “Israel's” fears that the collapse will also strengthen the broad popular legitimacy of the alternatives offered by Hezbollah to reduce the suffering and rebuild again. This is what “Israel” called Hezbollah's control of the state.
One of the dilemma questions points out that "Israel" does not hide the fact that it is constantly studying the possibility of launching an act of aggression against Lebanon in order to destroy the that provide the county with protection, defense, and deterrence.
In this context, refraining from the loud military option against Hezbollah in Lebanon and asking questions in every strategic assessment in recent years about this option reveals the state of hesitation and deterrence planted in the awareness of the decision-makers about confronting Hezbollah.
Furthermore, the annual strategic assessment does not hide the fact that "Israel" faces structural difficulties when it comes to tackling challenges.
The assessment also confirms the need for "Israel" to deepen coordination with the United States, which is implementing an “Israeli” policy in Lebanon.
Recognizing the limitations and effectiveness of “Israel’s” choices, the intelligence assessment calls for the need to crystallize an American-“Israeli”-French alliance aimed at weakening Hezbollah and strengthening its opponents inside Lebanon.
After all of the foregoing, there is no need for more questions about the Lebanese crisis.
It is enough for us to read the intelligence report to know the cause, the instigator, and the reasons.
