Barak Calls Netanyahu’s Hezbollah Weakening Claim a ‘Dangerous Delusion’
Ehud Barak, former Prime Minister of Israel, has stated that it has become clear, about a year and a half after Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim of pushing back Hezbollah for decades, that this assessment was “empty and hollow.” He emphasized that despite recent pressures and events, Hezbollah remains active and resilient.
In an article published on Monday in the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz, Barak wrote that the movement, led by Naim Qassem, continues its attacks and disrupts the lives of residents in the northern settlements of the occupied territories. According to him, there is no sign of Hezbollah collapsing or showing willingness to disarm.
He warned that promoting the Israeli military’s capability to completely destroy Hezbollah is a “dangerous delusion.” Barak added that eliminating this movement would require a full occupation of Lebanon—an action he deems “unrealistic.”
The former Israeli Prime Minister said the only way to disarm Hezbollah is through a diplomatic process coordinated with the Lebanese government, the United States, and regional countries. He stressed that any party entering the arena without such a plan will become stuck in the “Lebanon quagmire,” facing years of futile bloodshed.
Barak also described the destruction of Lebanese villages as a double mistake, stating that it increases international pressure and ultimately leads to withdrawal, while leaving devastation for years to come. He believes this situation strengthens Hezbollah’s argument, portraying itself as Lebanon’s defender against occupation, and consequently gains greater support inside Lebanon.
