Israel has every right to defend its borders

It should not be forgotten that Hezbollah and Hamas are proxies for Iran, itself motivated by the ambition of destroying the state of Israel

The last time Israel invaded Lebanon in 2006 the conflict ended with a ceasefire brokered by the United Nations. Security Council Resolution 1701 called for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the south to be replaced by Lebanese and UN peacekeepers. Militias, including Hezbollah, were to be disarmed and removed from areas south of the Litani river, which flows about 18 miles north of the border.
The resolution also emphasised the need for the Lebanese government to exert control in their own country. Needless to say none of this happened, apart from the Israeli withdrawal. Hezbollah not only continued to operate south of the Litani and rebuilt its missile batteries destroyed by Israel. The area is now bristling with ordnance provided by Iran. In addition, Hezbollah has strengthened its military and political grip over the entire country and is now the de facto government.
This is the background to renewed calls from Western countries, including the US and Britain, for a 21-day ceasefire in the renewed hostilities between the two sides. Israel justifiably points out that the last time they agreed to one the terms were broken. In 2006 Hezbollah had no intention of observing the deal any more than it has of doing so now should a new agreement be put in place.
The question the international community needs to address is what is Israel supposed to do if enemies on its borders continue to fire missiles into its towns and villages? The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), a presence in the country since 1978 and currently made up largely of Irish troops, is utterly ineffectual as a barrier to Hezbollah’s authority in southern Lebanon.
Briefings from officials in Washington suggesting a ceasefire was imminent were scotched by Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, as he headed to New York for the UN general assembly meeting. Without guarantees that Hezbollah will stop firing missiles into northern Israel, where 80,000 residents have been displaced, it is hard to see the conflict abating.
Israeli airstrikes are seeking to degrade Hezbollah positions and communications but Jerusalem will be reluctant to order a ground invasion. Hezbollah is a different order of opponent to Hamas in Gaza, having been battle hardened in the Syrian civil war and supplied with weapons by Tehran. It should not be forgotten that both groups are proxies for Iran, itself motivated by the express ambition of destroying the state of Israel.