Syrian and Lebanese responsibility

The series of incidents involving heavy weapons fire against IDF positions on Mt. Dov, the launch of Katyushas into Israel and threats made by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah to continue the fight against Israel should remind both Israel and Lebanon that the IDF withdrawal from Lebanon nearly two years ago did not end the state of war between the two countries. The Israeli government has therefore made clear it will not accept being the only side to suffer attacks, and has warned that its response may be harsh both for Lebanon and Syria.

Israel completely withdrew from Lebanon according to lines approved by the United Nations in implementing UN Resolution 425 and according to maps detailed by UN observers who worked with representatives of both countries. Therefore, Israel fulfilled its obligations and both Syria and Lebanon accepted the withdrawal lines.

The United Nations rejected Lebanese demands that Israel withdraw from the Shaba farms area, since it was captured from Syria during the Six Day War, and therefore, negotiations over the area should be conducted between Israel and Syria. Nonetheless, while Lebanon continued claiming the area as part of its territory, it did deign to continue its campaign through diplomatic means. However, Lebanon thus far has not fulfilled its obligations under Resolution 425 to send its army into the areas evacuated by the IDF and to prevent violent friction along the border.

Hezbollah does not accept the Lebanese government's position, and it has turned the Shaba farms area into a combat zone, which, it claims, must be taken by force to free it from Israeli occupation. Not only is that argument baseless, but also it could drag Lebanon into becoming a new target in a war that Hezbollah is trying to provoke. The voices in Lebanon, both in the government and among prominent leaders, saying that Lebanon is not interested in opening a new front with Israel are insufficient to halt the deterioration.

The Lebanese government will not be convincing when it says it is not a partner to Hezbollah attacks unless it demonstrates practical determination on the ground, publicly ordering the organization to stop attacks and immediately deploying its army in the south of the country to restore order and sovereignty. Syria also cannot be relieved of its responsibility for a deterioration because its support for Hezbollah, along with instructions to Beirut not to deploy the Lebanese army in the south, limits the Lebanese government's freedom of action and turns Hezbollah into a direct proxy of the Damascus regime. Hezbollah has its own agenda, and it is interested in stretching the active front against Israel from the West Bank and Gaza all the way to Lebanon. The Israeli government would be wise to avoid being entrapped by Hezbollah's goals and not allow the organization to set regional policy. Israel certainly does not need to open another front, and it would be best to enlist every diplomatic effort possible to prevent that from happening.