Monday, July 27, 2026 | 1:00p.m. Eastern Time

July 27, 2026 | “How Hezbollah Makes Peace between Lebanon and Israel Impossible” with Dr. Ibtissam Klait

How Hezbollah Makes Peace between Lebanon and Israel Impossible

Israel and Lebanon are engaged in an ongoing series of direct, U.S.-brokered negotiations aimed at ending their conflict and restoring Lebanese sovereignty. But while the Lebanese leadership seeks de-escalation and stability, Hezbollah’s autonomous military capacity continues to prevent the state from implementing a coherent national strategy. A framework signed in June calls for Hezbollah’s disarmament, the deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces, and a phased Israeli withdrawal, but its implementation remains uncertain.

Hezbollah, operating under the direct tutelage of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has evolved from a “state within a state” into a “state against the state.” As long as the Iranian proxy militia maintains an independent weapons capacity and continues to wage its own wars at Tehran’s behest, lasting peace or normalization between Beirut and Jerusalem will remain beyond reach. The Lebanese and Israeli peoples will continue to suffer the consequences.

How did this situation come about? Why has the Lebanese state been unable to reclaim its sovereignty? And what can be done to change it?


Dr. Ibtissam Klait, is a scholar and educator specializing in International Relations, Political Science, Public Policy, and global affairs. I hold a Doctorate in International Affairs, am currently a PhD candidate in Political Science, and an M.A. student in Applied Economics. My professional experience includes teaching, research, writing, and academic mentorship, with a focus on Middle East geopolitics, diplomacy, globalization, economics, and public policy. I am committed to advancing informed dialogue, rigorous scholarship, and evidence-based analysis on regional and international affairs.


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