Jerusalem — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that Israel’s military campaign against the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has unexpectedly created a pathway to peace with its northern neighbors, Lebanon and Syria. Speaking to his cabinet, Netanyahu stated that the victories against Hezbollah have “opened a window for a possibility that was not even imagined before.”
He also confirmed that Israel is currently engaged in discussions with Syria, noting that there has been “some progress,” but emphasized that a final agreement is still “a long way off.”
A Shift in Regional Dynamics
Netanyahu’s comments come amid an ongoing conflict with Hezbollah, which has intensified with recent Israeli operations aimed at dismantling the group’s military capabilities. The Israeli prime minister suggested that these decisive actions have altered the regional landscape, making diplomatic breakthroughs possible where they were previously unthinkable.
Reports from Israeli officials and media outlets indicate that an emerging security agreement with Syria is under discussion. Syria, for its part, is reportedly seeking a halt to Israeli airstrikes and the withdrawal of Israeli troops who have pushed into southern Syria. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa had previously stated that negotiations could yield results “in the coming days,” calling a security pact a “necessity.”
The ongoing talks are reportedly being mediated by the United States. While Syria is seeking a security agreement, a full-fledged peace or normalization deal, similar to the Abraham Accords, is not currently on the table.