THIS IS BEIRUT
Lebanon’s Pretend Peace with Israel Revives Arafat’s Playbook
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
September 22, 2026

By signing the Trilateral Framework agreement while failing to disarm Hezbollah, Lebanon has adopted the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s “pretend peace” playbook. In this Oslo Model, a defeated regime seeks Washington’s favor by signing a preliminary peace pact. Under this strategy, Lebanon’s leadership claims it is merely calling Israel’s bluff, arguing that Jerusalem is too malicious to ever want true coexistence. Beirut then fails to fulfill its core obligation to dismantle rogue militias. When Israel responds in self-defense, Beirut blames Jerusalem for the failure and demand international pressure against its neighbor. The cycle repeats until Lebanon’s credibility on the world stage is entirely exhausted, much like the boy who cried wolf. READ MORE