Hezbollah’s attempts to wreck Beirut-Jerusalem talks failing, experts tell ‘Post’

Experts told The Jerusalem Post that Hezbollah's attacks have not derailed Beirut-Jerusalem talks held in Rome last week, despite Israeli strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure. The talks follow a US-brokered June agreement for Hezbollah to cease threats from southern Lebanon and Israeli withdrawal. Hezbollah condemned the talks, threatening civil war. Two days before talks, five Lebanese soldiers were wounded by an explosive Israel attributed to Hezbollah; on Wednesday, two Israeli reservists were killed in a similar incident, prompting Israeli strikes. Experts noted complications for Beirut, with Lerman citing a 'balancing act' and Schenker calling Hezbollah's actions 'background noise.'

Experts told The Jerusalem Post that Hezbollah's attacks on the IDF and the Lebanese Armed Forces have not derailed talks between Beirut and Jerusalem, even amid Israel's recent strikes on the group. Beirut and Jerusalem held talks in Rome last week, with some sessions ending early in response to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon. The talks followed a US-brokered agreement reached in June under which Hezbollah would no longer pose a threat to Israel from southern Lebanon and Israeli forces would completely withdraw. Hezbollah has repeatedly condemned the talks, threatening civil war and urging Lebanese officials to allow Iran and its axis to pressure the US to force Israel to end the war, which was launched by the terrorist organization in response to the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Only two days before the talks began, five members of the Lebanese military were wounded by a Lebanese explosive that Israel attributed to Hezbollah. On Wednesday, Maj. (res.) Harel Birenstock and M.-Sgt. (res.) Tamir Vaknin were killed in a similar explosive incident, and Israel responded to the ceasefire violation with renewed strikes. Colonel (res.) Dr. Eran Lerman, a lecturer at Shalem College and Vice President of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, told the Post on Thursday that the situation has created complicated ground for Beirut. He described a 'paradoxical situation' where violence makes it harder for the Lebanese government to negotiate, but also emphasized the need to demonstrate Israel's capability to reduce Hezbollah. David Schenker, a Taube Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute and former US Assistant Secretary of State, called Hezbollah's actions 'a lot of background noise' but said Beirut remained committed to moving forward. He noted domestic challenges, including the issue of searching Shiite homes for weapons, and warned that failure in the pilot zones would be a loss for both Lebanon and Israel.