Gordon Robison: Middle East Journalist on the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon

There’s a sense of scepticism around a new Israel-Lebanon ceasefire.  

Donald Trump's declaring victory after announcing the two countries and militant group Hezbollah will pause fighting for ten days.  

But Israel's refusing to move its thousands of troops out of southern Lebanon.  

Middle East journalist Gordon Robison told Mike Hosking it's too soon to say how this ceasefire will go.  

He says the Middle East has a long, fraught history, with agreements between Israel and Lebanon having proven unstable before. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We've got a ceasefire. Are we in the week? I
think with real momentum around epic fury. More talks between
the US and Iran scene probable. Now there's team they
cease fire between Israel and Lebanon. Now goodon. Robinson is
with US Middle East exper Good morning to you.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
And a good evening from here.

Speaker 1 (00:17):
Are you optimistic of this?

Speaker 2 (00:21):
I would like to be asked that question in maybe
another twelve hours. The ceasefire officially goes into effect just
over two hours from now. And there's a long history
with these things in the Middle East in general, and
between the Israelis and the Lebanese in particular. Let's see
over the first twelve hours or so how well it holds.

Speaker 1 (00:42):
Okay, is it separate? You'll know what I mean by
the question. Is it siparate? Separate?

Speaker 2 (00:48):
Separate? You mean separate? You mean from this the ceasefire
with Iran?

Speaker 1 (00:51):
Correct? So, yes, separate things. So it's all about tiling in.

Speaker 2 (00:56):
Well, they're officially completely separate things. But it would be
naive to think that these talks are going on in
a bubble. You know, everybody knows what's going on. At
the show, we say the Eastern end of this war,
and so no, the connection may not be official, but
the connection surely exists.

Speaker 1 (01:15):
How much is this driven by the US the Lebanon
Israel thing.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
I think this is driven by the US, very very substantially.
The Americans want the Israelis to ease off on Lebanon.
President Trump has actually said that in the last few
days because they think that it's endangering their bigger talks
with the Iranians, which may or may not have a
second session mediated by the Pakistanis in the next few days.

(01:43):
So making the talks between the US and Iran succeed,
which is a big if. To do that, there has
to be some lessening of tension in Lebanon.

Speaker 1 (01:55):
All right, godon listen, appreciate you, Tom. We'll get you
back on again. Gooden Robinson, who's the Middle East six
foot with us this morning. For more from the Mic
Asking Breakfast, listen live to News Talk Set B from
six am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.