A tectonic shift is underway in the Middle East, cracking the foundations of old animosities and creating new diplomatic openings. The most significant evidence of this shift is the direct peace negotiations between Israel and Syria, a development confirmed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday. He attributed this change to the recent war with Hezbollah.
For decades, the political plates between Israel and Syria were locked in a state of conflict. The fall of the Assad regime has released this pressure, allowing for unprecedented movement. A Syrian official has stated that the two countries are now working to finalize security and military agreements by the end of the year.
This seismic event is also sending tremors through Lebanon. With its Syrian bedrock gone, Hezbollah is on shaky ground. The Lebanese government, feeling the pressure, is now moving to assert its authority by planning the disarmament of the powerful militia.
Netanyahu described the magnitude of this shift. “The possibility of peace… was not even imagined before our recent operations,” he said, suggesting the war was the earthquake that broke the old political structures. He confirmed “some progress” in the talks with Syria.
The new geopolitical topography is still taking shape, but its main features are emerging. A demilitarized buffer zone is being negotiated with Syria. A sovereign Lebanese army is slated to take control of the south. This is the new ground on which the future of the region will be built.