The first green shoots of hope in the form of peace may have been spotted in a fraught year in which two wars and five conflicts have raged along with elections to 70 countries housing over two billion people. The 60-day Hezbollah-Israel truce — seen to be mostly holding though all ceasefire conditions are not being met — is a harbinger of optimism that the leaders of people will realise what a waste war and conflicts are.
Even as the clock is ticking on his presidency, Joe Biden is working overtime to try and bring about a similar ceasefire in Gaza. He would like peace in the Middle East to be a White House parting gift for the world though everyone knows that the US, a known global “regime change” influencer, has triggered major unrest in many parts of the world, including possibly Bangladesh.
Hezbollah, battered and bruised like Hamas and losing half its leadership in 13 months of war, is more than willing to accept a ceasefire, but only after around 3,800 Lebanese lost their lives. Hamas is now willing to negotiate a ceasefire, but the question is whether Israel would like to see Hamas wriggle out of its October 7 provocation and subsequent mutilation only to regroup and unleash terror and keep the pot boiling against the Jewish state.
Over 1.2 million people were displaced in Lebanon since the proxy militia joined the action against Israel in the fond hope that its patron Iran would support it only to see its leadership blown up by remote blasts via pagers and the loyal parts of the Lebanese community bombed into a Gaza-like disruption of life and forced to flee their homes in southern Lebanese villages that were razed to the ground.
A section of Israelis, in empathy with the hostages taken in October 2023, are asking what the retaliation with such force has brought them. The relief felt in Lebanon may not be matched south of the border, but Israel must also be feeling relieved as this truce would not have come about without Iran’s concurrence. The chances of any direct action by Iran against Israel also seem to have subsided.
As Mr Biden said, the truce reminds us that peace is possible. He would like to see Israel turn tactical gains against Iran and proxies into a coherent strategy. It remains to be seen if Israel will see the light and agree to end operations in Gaza to give peace a real chance in the region.
