I learned something new today (about Lebanon recognizing Israel). Your last few points I actually mostly agree with. And yet, the point stands that before October 8 things were quiet, and if Hezbollah stopped threatening Israel, Israel would stop attacking Lebanon.

What are YOU talking about? Lebanon was one of the countries that attacked Israel in 1948 and never made peace (only the 1949 armistice).

And Ariel Sharon wasn’t the kind of fringe religious nut I’m talking about. He was a hard right hawk who did some pretty terrible things in Lebanon. But he didn’t subscribe to some hare-brained biblical notion of “Greater Israel”.

Hezbollah is the main obstacle to that.

There would be no need for puppet governments or buffer zones if Lebanon offered to recognize Israel’s right to exist and made peace like Jordan and Egypt.

The notion that Israel is engaged in an expansionist war to conquer Lebanese territory is stupid. Are there fringe Israeli figures who talk about such things? Sure. But those same fringe figures talk about conquering Jordan.

Israel is not blameless. But the current fighting in Lebanon is 100% on Hezbollah. They stop shooting rockets and Israel will leave Lebanon alone just like it leaves Jordan and Egypt alone. Hamas is a different much more complicated story.

Again, all Hezbollah has to do is stop firing the rockets.

This war that Israel “launched” (by being attacked by Hamas on October 7 and then by Hezbollah on October 8) would end tomorrow if Hezbollah stopped shooting at Israel and agreed to come under Lebanese Army command.

Why made it stop being about self-defense months ago? Hezbollah hasn’t stopped firing rockets at Israeli civilians. Israel has no desire to expand into Lebanon. They just want Hezbollah to stop shooting at Israelis.