No Leverage, No Peace: Israel-Lebanon Talks Reach an Impasse
October 28, 2026NO LEVERAGE, NO PEACE: ISRAEL/LEBANON TALKS AT AN IMPASSE
Q News (@qnewsegy )asked me what leverage Lebanon actually has in the talks with Israel. My answer: “Lebanon never had any leverage.”
The framework between Lebanon and Israel was signed in June. Four months later, Israel has left one pilot zone. Meanwhile, the bombing has continued consistently, the destruction is ongoing, and it’s moving deeper into the south. The latest round of talks in Florida ended with no breakthrough and no date for the next meeting.
Now, Israel’s election has produced no clear winner. Results point to a fragmented parliament, with neither Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition appearing to have a clear path to a governing majority. Coalition negotiations could take weeks, leaving the next Israeli government—and its approach to Lebanon—uncertain. But a change in leadership alone does not guarantee a change in policy: both Netanyahu and leading opposition figures have backed keeping a security zone in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed.
I call it the facade of peace talks. Israel wouldn’t accept a neutral party to check what the Lebanese army is doing. It wouldn’t stop the strikes. It wouldn’t give up an inch of its so-called security zone. It’s all dictated by Israel.
Let me be clear for anyone who thinks my position is different: I’m all for one army in Lebanon, and it’s the Lebanese army. One state, one gun.
But you don’t negotiate with someone who keeps bombing you while you’re sitting at the table. You get dictated to. The only leverage Lebanon has left is to walk out and not take part until there’s some semblance of respect for the rules and the framework both sides set out.
Israel says it will stay in the security zone until Hezbollah is disarmed, and it has said it won’t withdraw. Those positions are what stand between a ceasefire on paper and peace on the ground.
Watch the full interview on Q News. Tell me what you think in the comments.
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English Script:
Daizy Gedeon: What leverage are we talking about, really? Lebanon never had any leverage. And what happened in Florida just today proves it. Call it what it is. What it is, is the facade of peace. Peace talks. Israel wouldn’t accept a neutral party to check what our army is doing. Let me be clear on one thing. For those who think, my position is different. I am all for one army in Lebanon, and it’s the Lebanese army. One state, one gun. You know, it’s all dictated by Israel. It wouldn’t stop the strikes. It wouldn’t give up an inch of turf in its so-called security zone. And then everyone went home, you know, with no date for the next meeting. That framework was signed in June, four months ago. Israel has left one pilot zone in those four months. One pilot zone. Meanwhile, its bombing has continued consistently. The destruction is ongoing and it’s moving deeper into the south. You just don’t negotiate with someone who keeps bombing you, who keeps hitting you while you’re sitting at the table. You get dictated to in that way. And the only leverage Lebanon has is to leave the negotiations and not to participate until there is some semblance of respect for the rules and the guidelines and the framework that they’ve set out.
