Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has launched an unexpected peace offensive on Israel’s northern front, revealing that talks are underway with Syria and that a path to an agreement with Lebanon is now a real possibility. He made it clear on Sunday that he believes the recent war with Hezbollah created the necessary conditions for this diplomatic initiative.
For decades, peace with Syria was a distant dream, blocked by the hardline Assad regime. The ouster of Bashar al-Assad has changed everything, enabling direct negotiations between the two sworn enemies. A Syrian official has even expressed hope that security and military pacts could be concluded by the end of this year.
In Lebanon, the focus remains on the threat posed by Hezbollah. Israel continues to strike the Iran-backed group despite a ceasefire, a strategy aimed at preventing its resurgence. This military action is complemented by a U.S.-led diplomatic push to have the Lebanese army disarm the militia, a process Beirut has now committed to beginning.
“The possibility of peace with our northern neighbours… was not even imagined before our recent operations,” Netanyahu said, highlighting the transformative impact he believes the conflict has had. He confirmed that the Syrian channel is active and making progress, while realistically noting the long road still ahead.
The new Syrian government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, is actively negotiating a land-for-security deal, centered on an Israeli withdrawal in exchange for a demilitarized buffer zone. In Lebanon, the foreign minister has laid out a clear timeline for the army to start disarming Hezbollah in the south, a crucial first step towards a more stable border.