The latest round in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has ushered in a new phase in the long-running standoff between Israel and Hizbollah, the powerful Shiite militia-cum-party in Lebanon. But Hizbollah shows no inclination to reset the status quo so that it conforms to Resolution 1701, which is precisely what Israel insists on. As one former high-ranking Lebanese official said to Crisis Group, “In practical terms, Resolution 1701 has been abrogated”. They began with passage of Resolution 1701 but were in fact based on tacit understandings that both Hizbollah and Israel had an interest in upholding. Against this backdrop, outside actors are exploring whether there might be ways to encourage better compliance with Resolution 1701 without running up against Hizbollah’s outright resistance.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 29, 2023 17:38 UTC