We get the latest on the war in the Middle East
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
The Clare Byrne Show on Newstalk. With Aviva Insurance.
Well, Donald Trump says the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire will be extended by three weeks after talks at the White House. I'm joined now by Channel 4 News presenter Matt Fry to tell me more. Good morning, Matt. Good morning, Clare. Thank you for being with us again. Is this news of the extension to the ceasefire indication of a truly united front now between the Americans and Israel and their leaders? Oh, I wouldn't go so far.
What recent developments have occurred regarding the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire?
I mean, the only reason why the last Lebanon ceasefire held was that having initially disagreed with it after the Iran ceasefire, the Israelis carried on bombing. And then the Americans realized that if the Israelis carried on bombing Hezbollah in Lebanon, it would jeopardize their ceasefire with Iran. And basically, Donald Trump put his foot down, as he does occasionally with Prime Minister Netanyahu, and says, stop it now or else. And the Israelis, of course, listened because they have no choice but to listen to Donald Trump. And the same thing has happened again. The Americans have said, you've got to stop fighting, stop killing people in Lebanon. Although, of course, the Israelis did just a few days ago.
They killed two journalists in what was a targeted killing and described by the Lebanese prime minister as a war crime. The Israelis are looking into it, they say. Don't hold your breath on that one. So, but I mean, I think Trump realizes that if Israel and Hezbollah carry on fighting, this will then jeopardize the ceasefire with Iran, if that is to be extended after this weekend. But remember one thing, Claire, Hezbollah, which is the party that Israel is fighting here, wasn't even around the negotiating table. The Lebanese didn't want them around the negotiating table. Israel and America regards Hezbollah as a terrorist group and doesn't deserve to sit around the negotiating table. But if Iran wants to call upon Hezbollah as proxies,
Is there a united front between the U.S. and Israel in the Middle East conflict?
to get involved in a fight on its behalf, then who's to say they won't, as they did at the beginning of this war? So I think the whole thing is terribly fragile, to be honest. Yeah, and Donald Trump saying on Truth Social, the United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah. Is that a likely scenario? Well, I mean, I'm sure that many Lebanese would agree with that, but it could be wishful thinking. I mean, Hezbollah isn't just a kind of terrorist group that's been imposed on Lebanon from the outside. I mean, to some extent it is, but it's also enmeshed in Lebanese society. Lebanon has a Shiite community and Hezbollah are very much doesn't just defend them and speak for them, but also provides schools for them and kindergartens and all sorts of other social services that the Lebanese government traditionally hasn't provided.
So Hezbollah, thanks to the Shia community in different parts of Lebanon, is part of Lebanese society. They have several members in the Lebanese parliament. They have two members of the 24-member cabinet are Hezbollah. it's not a bit it's not like al qaeda or isis is sort of completely extraneous alien body that can somehow be cut out and and and cast aside or cast adrift they are part and parcel of lebanese society so the only thing the only way this works is if the Lebanese government makes peace with Hezbollah and the Israelis are on board with that. But of course, as I said before, the truly alien and disturbing factor in all this is what do the Iranians want? I mean, Hezbollah is the most important part of their so-called ring of fire, which has been massively depleted thanks to the Israelis and the Americans.
But it's still there and they're still firing rockets as they did only yesterday. And I can't imagine that Iran would want to give that up easily. I can't imagine that Hezbollah would cut ties with Tehran. you know, as quickly as the Americans and the Lebanese would like them to. So I think this whole thing is very fragile indeed. And remember, the danger hovering over all of this, which was not mentioned yesterday, is civil war within Lebanon.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:01–0:36
2
What recent developments have occurred regarding the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire?
0:36–1:57
3
Is there a united front between the U.S. and Israel in the Middle East conflict?
1:57–9:03
4
What role does Hezbollah play in the current conflict?
9:03–10:32
Speakers
2 identifiedMore from The Claire Byrne Show
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