Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s high-risk gambit of using military force to create diplomatic openings appears to be paying off, with Israel now engaged in direct peace talks with Syria. On Sunday, Netanyahu effectively declared his strategy a success, stating that the war with Hezbollah was the risky move that has unlocked the entire northern chessboard.
The biggest prize of this gambit is the negotiation with Syria. By weakening Hezbollah and contributing to the pressures that led to the Assad regime’s fall, Israel has brought a new, more malleable player to the board. A Syrian official has confirmed that the two are now playing toward a final security agreement by year’s end.
In Lebanon, the gambit involved putting the government in check, forcing it to choose between the king (the state) and a powerful knight (Hezbollah). Under pressure, the government has chosen the king, moving to disarm the militia.
Netanyahu laid out his winning strategy to his ministers. “Our victories… have opened a window for a possibility that was not even imagined before,” he said, explaining how his initial risky moves have led to a commanding position. He confirmed the gambit has yielded “some progress” with Syria.
The strategic gains are clear. A demilitarized zone in Syria would be a major victory. The disarmament of Hezbollah in Lebanon would be another. Netanyahu’s high-risk, high-reward gambit on the northern border seems to have been a strategic success.