The Power of Disruption: How War with Hezbollah Reset Israel’s Northern Relations

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is embracing a strategy of disruption, arguing that the war with Hezbollah has successfully reset Israel’s relations with its northern neighbors. On Sunday, he announced that this reset has led to promising peace talks with Syria and a new dynamic with Lebanon that could lead to an agreement.
The most profound reset has been with Syria. The ouster of the Assad regime, which was committed to the old, hostile status quo, has allowed for a complete system reboot. The new government has engaged in direct negotiations with Israel, with a Syrian official hoping to finalize new security protocols by year’s end.
In Lebanon, the disruption is targeting Hezbollah’s control of the south. Israel’s continued military strikes are designed to break the group’s power, while U.S. diplomacy encourages the Lebanese state to fill the void. This has led to the government’s decision to begin the disruptive process of disarming the militia.
Netanyahu explained his theory of positive disruption. “Our victories… have opened a window for a possibility that was not even imagined before,” he told his cabinet. He confirmed that this reset has resulted in “some progress” in talks with Syria.
The results of this new, reset relationship are becoming clear. Syria is negotiating a demilitarized zone, a departure from decades of military confrontation. Lebanon is planning to disarm Hezbollah, a move that would disrupt the country’s internal power balance in favor of the state. The old system has been broken, and a new one is emerging.