"Krone" commentary

After the war is before the war

Analyzed for the "Krone": foreign policy expert Christian Hauenstein(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

On November 27, after more than a year of mutual shelling and finally Israel's invasion of southern Lebanon, a ceasefire with the Shiite terrorist militia Hezbollah came into force. According to the agreement, Hezbollah has 60 days to withdraw from the border area with Israel behind the Litani River. At the same time, Israel was to order its troops back from southern Lebanon.

However, little to no real progress has been made since then. The Lebanese army, which was supposed to take control of the area and monitor the withdrawal of Hezbollah, seems neither willing nor able to do so.

Mutual threats
There is already talk that the Israeli army will remain present in Lebanon beyond the deadline of January 27. As long as Hezbollah has not withdrawn, Israel will not leave the field.

Both Hezbollah and Jerusalem are already threatening to resume hostilities. But neither party is really interested in doing so. The severely decimated Hezbollah would risk being completely destroyed. Israel, on the other hand, would like to resettle the 60,000 inhabitants of the border area with Lebanon, who have been unable to return to their homes for more than a year due to constant shelling.

But unfortunately, in the Middle East it is almost always the case that after the war is before the war.