September 19, 2024
By Nasser Kandil
• As Benjamin Netanyahu sat in his car, whistling with satisfaction, pleased with the devastating harm his intelligence services have inflicted upon the resistance’s infrastructure and environment, he seemed unconcerned about being branded a terrorist, even after killing tens of thousands in Gaza, most of whom are women and children.
• The scale and precision of these strikes give Netanyahu room to boast about his ability to score points against the resistance – damaging it, and showcasing his aura of power and invincibility. Yet, despite not officially claiming responsibility, Netanyahu hinted at owning the strike, stating that he remains committed to achieving his goal: returning the displaced settlers of the north to their settlements. But does Netanyahu truly have a plan to leverage these strikes to accomplish that?
• To return the displaced, he must halt Hezbollah’s barrage of missiles and drones targeting northern occupied Palestine. Hezbollah has made it clear that it is only willing to cease its attacks under one condition: an end to the occupation’s aggression on Gaza, agreed upon under terms dictated by the resistance to end the war and facilitate a prisoner exchange. Netanyahu has rejected this, instead searching for a way to return the displaced without halting the war on Gaza. So, how does he plan to do that?
• Netanyahu faces the challenge of forcing Hezbollah to cease its attacks on northern Palestine without ending the war on Gaza, as that’s the only way to ensure the displaced return to their settlements. There are two possible paths for him: either the intensity of the strikes forces Hezbollah to back down from its commitment to the Lebanese support front, or he launches a war aimed at weakening Hezbollah’s military structure, rendering it incapable of threatening northern settlements.
• The nature and scale of these strikes suggest they are either the precursor to a war or part of one already in progress – but it seems we are not yet at that point. So, can this strike alone guarantee the return of the displaced?
• There’s only one scenario where this might happen: if Hezbollah agrees to explore political solutions that de-escalate tensions on the border, independent of its commitment to the support front. However, Hezbollah’s recent statement is crystal clear: they will press on with their support for Gaza and its resistance, and have now extended their support to the West Bank as well. Moreover, they have vowed appropriate retaliation and just retribution for the occupying entity’s actions. So, how will Netanyahu bring the displaced back?
• Netanyahu may lift his hand in a fleeting gesture of victory, but his body sinks steadily into a deep strategic swamp. Bound by its grip, his feet are trapped below, leaving him stuck at its depths, unable to escape.
