Lebanon's lose-lose: Is there another way out of conflict?
Key takeaways
- The new US-Iran peace deal seems to be forcing Lebanon to choose between Israel's sphere of influence or Iran's.
- In Lebanon, fighting between local militant group Hezbollah and neighboring Israel has displaced over a million people, killed thousands and caused around $1.4 billion (€1.2 billion) worth of damage.
- Israel says it plans to stay in what it is calling a "security buffer zone" there so its own citizens in northern Israel are safe from Hezbollah attacks.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
The new US-Iran peace deal seems to be forcing Lebanon to choose between Israel's sphere of influence or Iran's. It wants neither. But could there be a better alternative, achieved with the help of regional diplomacy?
https://p.dw.com/p/5Fvml After a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was announced, locals in Beirut's southern suburbs celebrated, with some waving Iranian flags Image: Fadel Itani/Nur Photo/picture alliance Advertisement As representatives of the Lebanese government begin another round of talks with their Israeli counterparts in Washington this week, their country finds itself in an increasingly impossible situation.
In Lebanon, fighting between local militant group Hezbollah and neighboring Israel has displaced over a million people, killed thousands and caused around $1.4 billion (€1.2 billion) worth of damage.