Explosions in Lebanon, Israeli strategy, diplomacy in the Middle East… Jean-Paul Chagnollaud’s “8h30 franceinfo”

The president of the Mediterranean Middle East Research and Studies Institute was the guest of “8h30 franceinfo”, Thursday September 19, 2024.

Jean-Paul Chagnollaud, president of the Institute for Research and Mediterranean Middle East Studies (iReMMO), was the guest of “8h30 franceinfo”, Thursday September 19, 2024. Explosions in Lebanon, Israel’s strategy, diplomacy… He answered questions from Salhia Brakhlia and Jérôme Chapuis.

Explosions in Lebanon: “a new phase of the war”

Following the two massive and coordinated attacks carried out against Hezbollah members in Lebanon, which left at least 32 dead and more than 3,200 injured on Tuesday and Wednesday, using booby-trapped pagers and walkie-talkies, “We have entered a new phase of the war”believes Jean-Paul Chagnollaud, a war “settles for an indefinite period” in the Middle East.

For the professor emeritus, there is little doubt about the authors of these attacks: “That it is Israel and the Mossad seems quite clear to me.”. “All signs show that Israel wants a new outbreak of this war on Lebanon”assures Jean-Paul Chagnollaud.

“I hope I’m wrong, but there will be no ceasefire”

Jean-Paul Chagnollaud assures that the sequence for a truce is “finished”. “I hope I’m wrong, but there will be no ceasefire”according to the expert, despite diplomatic efforts. For the expert, “the balance of power in its pure state” now supplants the “ground of political compromise”recalling that “Netanyahu has always bet on the balance of power”. In fact, he did “a cross on the hostages”according to Jean-Paul Chagnollaud.

Arab states “each play their own national interests”

Jean-Paul Chagnollaud regrets that international justice is “marginalized” in this conflict. The expert has little hope for the UN Council meeting scheduled for Friday, September 20. As for the Arab States, “nothing is needed [en] to wait for”notes the specialist on the Palestinian question. “They are each playing their own national interests.”