In Lebanon, Life on Hold Four Times Amid Conflict

A billboard in a Beirut street features images of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’s political bureau, Hezbollah leader Fouad Shukr, and Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force (Reuters)
A billboard in a Beirut street features images of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’s political bureau, Hezbollah leader Fouad Shukr, and Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force (Reuters)
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In Lebanon, Life on Hold Four Times Amid Conflict

A billboard in a Beirut street features images of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’s political bureau, Hezbollah leader Fouad Shukr, and Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force (Reuters)
A billboard in a Beirut street features images of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’s political bureau, Hezbollah leader Fouad Shukr, and Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force (Reuters)

Since Hezbollah opened a front in southern Lebanon to support Gaza, Lebanese lives have been upended, with fears that this support could escalate into a devastating war.
The conflict has seen four key moments. Initially, diplomatic efforts tried to contain the situation. Tensions grew after the Israeli military killed Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut’s southern suburbs in early January. This led to a flurry of diplomatic activity aimed at preventing the war from spreading.
The third phase came after Israel's killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guard leaders at the Iranian consulate in Damascus and Iran’s retaliation. The fourth phase is unfolding now, with Israel recently assassinating Hezbollah leader Fuad Shukr in Beirut’s southern suburbs and Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
This has left Lebanon in suspense, with everyday life paused as everyone waits for responses from Iran, Hezbollah, and Israel.
The strategies of both sides have shifted. Hezbollah thought that attacking northern Israeli settlements would force Israel to stop its assault on Gaza and meet its demands.
However, Hezbollah’s goals were not met. On the other hand, the Israeli military believed that its strikes in Lebanon and Syria would make Hezbollah retreat and comply with Resolution 1701 by withdrawing north of the Litani River. This has not happened, despite international pressure.
Whenever tensions rose, diplomatic efforts were made to prevent the conflict from widening. These efforts succeeded in stopping the war from expanding before the recent assassinations of Shukr and Haniyeh but failed to de-escalate or end the current conflict.
A diplomatic source, speaking under the conditions of anonymity, told Asharq Al-Awsat that international efforts have not yet managed to ease the tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.
Lebanon is now facing crucial and challenging days as it awaits Hezbollah’s response to the assassinations and Israel’s reaction.
The source pointed out that embassy closures and urgent evacuation warnings from Western embassies underline the serious risks, signaling that any major attack on Israel could have severe consequences for Lebanon.
The source hopes that all parties understand that the ongoing diplomatic efforts are the last chance to avoid a wider war.
As Lebanon waits for Hezbollah’s response to the killing of Shukr and Iran’s reaction to the assassination of Haniyeh, the country is facing high tension.
Western and Arab embassies have urgently advised their citizens to leave Lebanon, and most airlines have suspended flights to Beirut International Airport.



Blinken Lays Out Post-war Gaza Plan to Be Handed to Trump Team

 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC, on January 14, 2025. (AFP)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC, on January 14, 2025. (AFP)
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Blinken Lays Out Post-war Gaza Plan to Be Handed to Trump Team

 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC, on January 14, 2025. (AFP)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC, on January 14, 2025. (AFP)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday laid out plans for the post-war management of Gaza, saying the outgoing Biden administration would hand over the roadmap to President-elect Donald Trump's team to pick up if a ceasefire deal is reached.

Speaking at the Atlantic Council in Washington in his final days as the US top diplomat, Blinken said Washington envisioned a reformed Palestinian Authority leading Gaza and inviting international partners to help establish and run an interim administration for the enclave.

A security force would be formed from forces from partner nations and vetted Palestinian personnel, Blinken said during his speech, which was repeatedly interrupted by protesters who accused him of supporting genocide by Israel against Palestinians in Gaza, which Israel denies.

He was speaking as negotiators met in Qatar hoping to finalize a plan to end the war in Gaza after 15 months of conflict that has upended the Middle East.

"For many months, we've been working intensely with our partners to develop a detailed post-conflict plan that would allow Israel to fully withdraw from Gaza, prevent Hamas from filling back in, and provide for Gaza's governance, security and reconstruction," Blinken said.

Trump and his incoming team have not said whether they would implement the plan.

Blinken said a post-conflict plan and a "credible political horizon for Palestinians" was needed to ensure that Hamas does not re-emerge.

The United States had repeatedly warned Israel that Hamas could not be defeated by a military campaign alone, he said. "We assess that Hamas has recruited almost as many new fighters as it has lost. That is a recipe for an enduring insurgency and perpetual war."

PROTESTERS

Blinken's remarks were interrupted three times by protesters, who echoed accusations that the Biden administration was complicit in crimes committed by Israel in the war.

Blinken has denied Israel's actions amount to genocide and says he has pushed Israel to do more to protect civilians and to facilitate humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Israel launched its assault after Hamas-led fighters stormed across its borders on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's aerial and ground campaign has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry, drawing accusations of genocide in a World Court case brought by South Africa and of war crimes and crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court. Israel denies the allegations.

The assault has displaced nearly all of Gaza's 2.3 million population and drawn the concern of the world’s main hunger monitor.

"You will forever be known as bloody Blinken, secretary of genocide," one protester shouted before being led out of the event.

Blinken remained calm, telling one heckler: "I respect your views. Please allow me to share mine," before resuming his remarks.

Blinken said US officials had debated "vigorously" the Biden administration's response to the war, a reference to a slew of resignations by officials in his State Department who have criticized the policy to continue providing arms and diplomatic cover to Israel.

Others felt Washington had held Israel back from inflicting greater damage on Iran and its proxies, he said.

"It is crucial to ask questions like these, which will be studied for years to come," he said. "I wish I could stand here today and tell you with certainty that we got every decision right. I cannot."