Gulf Insider
The Israel-Lebanon peace talks which have kicked off at the State Dept. in Washington D.C. on Tuesday are unprecedented and historic, and yet they remain largely symbolic and are unlikely to lead to much in terms of ending the conflict with Hezbollah. That’s of course because Hezbollah is not actually represented, only Lebanese government officials – who hold no power or sway over what is the single most well-armed paramilitary group in the country. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem on Monday demanded that Lebanon cancel the US-hosted meeting with Israel, reaffirming the Iran-aligned group’s rejection of direct negotiations with its sworn enemy. “We reject negotiations with the usurping Israeli entity… We call for a historic and heroic stance by canceling this negotiating meeting,” Qassem stated. He blasted the talks as “futile”. Hezbollah has sent thousands of rockets into Israel, both in support of Hamas during the two-year Gaza war, and more recently as the US war on Iran kicked off. Israel has in turn obliterated parts of Beirut, southern Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley – launching a brutal airstrike campaign, as if to punish the whole country. Earlier in the Gaza war Hezbollah leadership was decimated. As for the Lebanese government, […]
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