Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pursuing an unconventional peace plan, one that puts war first as a necessary catalyst for diplomacy. He outlined this approach on Sunday, claiming that Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah was the essential first step that has now led to peace talks with Syria and a potential breakthrough with Lebanon.
This approach is yielding its most dramatic results with Syria. The collapse of the Assad regime, a long-time advocate for armed struggle against Israel, has vindicated the “war-first” logic. The new, more pragmatic government is now in direct negotiations, with a Syrian official suggesting a security deal could be reached by the end of 2025.
In Lebanon, the “war-first” strategy involves the continued military degradation of Hezbollah. This pressure is intended to create a situation where the Lebanese state has no choice but to step in and disarm the militia, a process it has now begun under U.S. encouragement.
Netanyahu defended his unconventional plan to his ministers. “The possibility of peace… was not even imagined before our recent operations,” he said, arguing that traditional diplomacy had failed. He confirmed his new approach has led to “some progress” with Syria.
The tangible outcomes of this strategy are now visible. Syria is negotiating a demilitarized zone, a key objective of Israeli security policy. Lebanon has committed to disarming Hezbollah in the south, a move that would achieve a long-standing Israeli goal. The unconventional plan appears to be working.
An Unconventional Peace Plan: Netanyahu’s War-First Approach to Diplomacy
