A Tale of Two Borders: Israel’s Divergent Paths with Lebanon and Syria

Israel is pursuing two very different but interconnected paths on its northern border, according to a statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. While a diplomatic path of peace talks is opening with Syria, a path of continued military pressure is being maintained in Lebanon against Hezbollah. Netanyahu claims the latter is what makes the former possible.
The Syrian path has been cleared by the fall of the Assad regime. This has allowed for direct negotiations aimed at ending a 77-year state of war. The new Syrian government is an active participant, with one official suggesting that security agreements could be concluded by the end of the year.
The Lebanese path remains a military one, for now. Despite a ceasefire, Israel continues to strike Hezbollah targets, seeking to dismantle the group’s offensive capabilities. This is intended to create the conditions for the Lebanese state, now under U.S. pressure, to finally assert its sovereignty and disarm the militia.
Netanyahu explained this dual strategy on Sunday. “Our victories in Lebanon against Hezbollah have opened a window for a possibility that was not even imagined before,” he said, linking the two borders. He confirmed “some progress” on the Syrian diplomatic track.
The divergence is clear, but the goal is the same: a secure northern border. In Syria, this is being pursued through talks about a demilitarized zone. In Lebanon, it is being pursued by weakening Hezbollah to the point where the official army can take control, a process the government has now committed to starting.