Gideon Levy: Journalist and Analyst on the concerns the strikes between Israel and Hezbollah will spark a wider conflict in the Middle East

There's concern for wider conflict in the Middle East as Israel and Hezbollah trade strikes.  

Israel's Defence Force says its mission is to stop the Iranian-backed Hezbollah firing rockets into Israel's north, and to push it back from the border.  

Lebanon's health ministry says around 500 people have been killed in air strikes.  

Journalist and analyst Gideon Levy told Mike Hosking there's no incentive, mediator or leadership in stopping it. 

He said that Israel insists on its own conditions, Hezbollah seems to be ready to sacrifice, and we are stuck in another bloodbath. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Internationally once again the spectrum of the so called all
out war in the Middle East. Tensions heightened the Israeli
strike to continue overnight in his Bla, of course, or
against his BLA. And Lebanon journalist and analyst Gideon Levy
back with us morning, Good morning to you. What's your
sense of whether this is a specific escalation that will
peter out in time or something bigger.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
I'm afraid it's something bigger because I don't see anything
stopping it. There's no incentive, there is no mediator, there
is no leadership, and I don't see how will it stop.
Israel insist on its own conditions. Isabella seems to be
ready to sacrifice, and we are stuck in another bloodbath.

Speaker 1 (00:43):
So as regards resource and intent from the Israeli side,
are they being worn down by fighting on all these
different fronts now or not?

Speaker 2 (00:51):
Until now it's working? The big, big question is now,
if it's the northern front, will get into a ground up.
This might be too big and too complicated to have
two ground operations in two fronts with a quite exhausted army,

(01:12):
with the people who is quite lost and demoralized. With
the international status of Fasuel, which is rather closer to
a pariah state than anything else. This might be very
very hard. As long as it's only those air strikes

(01:33):
as well, can handle it easily.

Speaker 1 (01:34):
Yeah, you writes two very good points. One the international support.
What's your assessment of where that's at and how long
it goes for and how enthusiastic it remains.

Speaker 2 (01:44):
Let's be very clear when we talk about international support,
it's first of all the United States above all, because
it's not only because United States is the biggest supplier
of as well, but the United States has also its
influence on Europe, on your country, and Australia on many

(02:05):
other countries. So it's all about the United States and
the United States until now play the very strange game
on one hand asking Israel, calling Israel to put an
end to the war, including the speech of President Biden
just yesterday in the Assembly, and in the same time,

(02:27):
the United States is applying Israel in an unconditioned way,
an almost unlimited way with weapons and demunition. As long
as this continues, Israel has a cart blanche to continue
the war no matter if there are demonstrations against Israel
or they are not. The question is if the American

(02:48):
administration will turn from talkings to actions, and this does
not seem soon, especially in a campaign and an election campaign.

Speaker 1 (02:58):
All right, we'll stay in touch. Getting appreciate to Gideon
Levey out of Israel this morning. For more from the
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