Israel is slowly but surely destroying Hezbollah military strongholds. The Iranian and Syrian-backed militia is running out of rockets.
Suddenly, Arab and Muslim countries that reflexively excuse Palestinian mass violence by talking about “root causes” and “provocations” have transformed themselves into peace-loving members of the international community. Saudi Arabia is desperately begging for a ceasefire, while even Syria (aka “one of the countries that started this war”) has become a potential partner for peace in Arab eyes.
What could possibly be the motive behind these frantic peace efforts:
Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah acknowledges that Israeli troops can sweep across south Lebanon. But if he and his militants can survive and keep fighting, he will cement his image as the unlikely new hero of Arab nationalism. Israeli troops backed by tanks fought their way into southern Lebanon Saturday at the start of a ground assault to drive the Islamic guerrilla group away from the border and put Israeli cities beyond the reach of its rockets… Anticipating the ground assault, Nasrallah sought to ensure his group’s survival and safeguard its widening base of support in Lebanon and abroad by lowering the bar for what would constitute victory. In a television interview broadcast Friday, he defined victory as a successful defense. And he acknowledges the gravity of defeat. “A defeat in Lebanon will end the region’s resistance movements, the Palestinian cause and impose Israel’s conditions for a settlement,” he warned.
Even Malaysia has gotten into the act, asking the UN to impose an immediate ceasefire. The United Nations: where Israel’s enemies go when Israel starts firing back.
