Israel-Hezbollah Stalemate Could Offer New Peace Opportunities
By William Sutherland

When United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 brought a halt to the 34-day July-August 2006 Israel-Lebanon (Hezbollah) war, there were no winners despite the rhetoric of both sides. Hezbollah while able to hold their ground against Israel’s military superiority (air, sea and land power) was impotent to stop the wide-scale destruction of Lebanon’s infrastructure. At the same time, Israel while able to capture some territory could not stop Hezbollah’s rocket attacks nor impose her will. When the disproportionate Lebanese to Israeli civilian casualties are put aside, both forces likely suffered comparably – losing between 100 to 200 soldiers, even if Israel engaged in inflated “Vietnam-style” uncorroborated body counts and Hezbollah exagerrated the number of tanks destroyed in an vain effort to save face or bolster their military successes, respectively. At the same time, both sides incurred billions of dollars in damage and lost economic activity, and continue to have persons held prisoner.

Yet the stalemate can offer an unprecedented opportunity for peace if all sides take a pragmatic approach and make an objective assessment of the recent war: No Arab state nor militia can eliminate Israel and Israel no longer possesses her unmatched military capabilities of 1967 and 1973. However, any rational approach must abstain from the current derogatory labeling, demonizing and dehumanizing of the other’s adversary. Statements supporting the assassination of adversarial leaders, seizures of democratically elected government officials as well as civilians, the trivializing of reciprocal demands and family bonds for those held captive are components of a simplistic, naïve recipe for disaster.

Arabs and Israelis, Jews, Christians, and Muslims all have historic and legitimate claims to the Middle East. Each must accept and recognize this fact. Each must realize that “negotiations as equals,” not brute violence, kidnappings, destruction, and intimidation will achieve the true sovereignty and security they aspire for. Each must learn to share the land that comprises the region if they, their children and future generations are to maximize the unlimited opportunities that life, which is already too transient and fleeting, can offer.