Israel is actively testing a new foreign policy doctrine on its northern border: that decisive military success can be a direct precursor to diplomatic breakthroughs. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu articulated this doctrine on Sunday, arguing that “victories” against Hezbollah have created the very possibility of peace talks with Syria and Lebanon.
The primary test case for this doctrine is Syria. The fall of the Assad regime, a key Hezbollah ally, is seen as part of this military-strategic success. The result has been direct negotiations with the new Syrian government, which is reportedly aiming for a final security deal by the end of the year.
In Lebanon, the doctrine is being applied through a combination of force and diplomacy. Continued military strikes against Hezbollah are meant to demonstrate the cost of conflict, while the U.S. simultaneously offers the Lebanese state a diplomatic off-ramp via disarmament and the assertion of sovereignty.
“The possibility of peace… was not even imagined before our recent operations and actions,” Netanyahu stated, providing the central thesis of his new doctrine. He confirmed that this approach is already showing “some progress” in the Syrian theater.
The initial results of this doctrinal test are in. Syria’s new president is negotiating a demilitarized zone, a key Israeli security objective. The Lebanese government has formally begun the process of disarming Hezbollah. The theory that military success can create the conditions for peace is now being put into practice.
Israel Tests a New Doctrine: Military Success as a Precursor to Peace
