A great unfreezing is taking place on Israel’s northern border, as decades of frozen conflict with Syria begin to thaw. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Sunday that direct peace talks are underway, a stunning development he attributes to the heat of the recent war with Hezbollah, which has melted old political certainties.
For over 50 years, the Israeli-Syrian front was the definition of a frozen conflict. The collapse of the Assad regime was the dramatic event that broke the ice, allowing for the first direct negotiations in a generation. A Syrian official has stated that they hope to reach a final security agreement by the end of the year.
This diplomatic thaw is also being felt in Lebanon. The old, frozen power structure, in which Hezbollah operated with impunity, is starting to crack. Under pressure, the Lebanese government is now moving to disarm the militia, a move that could fundamentally change the country’s political landscape.
Netanyahu described this historic unfreezing. “Our victories… have opened a window for a possibility that was not even imagined before,” he said. He confirmed that this new, warmer climate has led to “some progress” in talks with Syria.
The signs of this thaw are everywhere. Syria is negotiating a demilitarized zone. Lebanon is planning to disarm Hezbollah. The ice that has defined the northern border for decades is finally breaking, and a new diplomatic season may be beginning.