Howard Epstein – Hezbollah Trumped?
According to an article today in The Times (of London), Israel’s “northern neighbour [Lebanon] is historically one of the hardest-line of Arab countries in not recognising or dealing with the Jewish state”?
Not so. Before Lebanon fell under first PLO influence, later Syrian and then Iranian (read Hezbollah) control, it was always expected that Lebanon would follow Egypt and Jordan to the negotiating table – and a peace treaty.
Given the large Christian Arab constituency there, a peace treaty with the northern neighbour of Israel will follow once Hezbollah have been squeezed out. Many nations, including France are working for this. (At that point, Nasrallah will dare to emerge from his bunker.)
Interesting that this news reaches us just as we learn that Jordan will join in the economic conference that will lubricate the machinery of the Trump plans to assist the Palestinian people.
Cynically kept in the position of never having anything to lose, they have been steered into nihilism for far too long.
Remember when we were told Israel was the greatest threat to world peace because of its need for water? It now desalinates sea water. Not only… Its reuse of sewage is the best in the world. There is more. Reversal of the deserts? Check. Star performer in the OECD? Check. And so on.
Relevance? The Palestinians can be part of all this. Instead of Gaza comprehensively collapsing under Hamas’ guns-before-butter, hate-filled policies, the coastal strip could be moulded into another modern economy, with happy, well-fed people living normal lives ie hope for their children.
Of course, it will mean giving up the hope of “retaking” Tel Aviv but, as John Major said, there’s no gain without pain.
