Israel’s war effort could pave the way for diplomatic ties with Iran and Lebanon if the leadership in Tehran collapses and Hezbollah is dismantled, Knesset member Dan Illouz said during a briefing of the Inter-Parliamentary Union on Monday.
Illouz, who heads the Knesset Delegation to the IPU, spoke during a video briefing with 28 representatives from around the world. The IPU, founded in 1889 by a group of parliamentarians committed to advancing peace through diplomacy and dialogue, is the world’s largest inter-parliamentary organization, composed of 179 national parliaments and 13 regional parliaments that serve as associate members.
“If, by the end of this war, we remove Hezbollah from the region and the Iranian ayatollah regime falls, I believe the path will be paved for signing normalization agreements between Israel and Iran, as well as between Israel and Lebanon,” Illouz said.
“We are careful to target only terror infrastructure and military assets. The Iranian and Lebanese people are not our enemies—on the contrary,” he added.
Illouz told JNS on Monday that because the participants are members of parliament active in foreign affairs and defense in their respective countries, he hopes they will gain the tools and knowledge needed to make informed decisions at home. “Our war is also theirs,” he said.
In the briefing, Illouz expressed doubt regarding the Lebanese government’s ability to confront Hezbollah without Israeli intervention.
Since the start of “Operation Roaring Lion” against the Islamic Republic on Feb. 28, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have significantly degraded Hezbollah’s command-and-control capabilities, financial resources and weapons stockpiles.
The IDF’s 91st “Galilee” Division has begun limited, targeted ground operations against key Hezbollah strongholds in Southern Lebanon, the military said on Monday, as part of efforts to strengthen Israel’s forward defensive line.
When asked by parliamentarians about the time frame required to complete these missions, Illouz replied: “As long as it takes to decisively neutralize the threats. We are prepared for additional weeks of fighting”.
