Why Lebanon won't make peace with Israel

(JNS) — Lebanese President Joseph Aoun declared on July 11, “Lebanon does not intend to pursue normalization with Israel,” though he left open the idea of “peace” as merely an absence of war. This ambiguous stance reflects Lebanon’s long-standing refusal to acknowledge Israel as a legitimate regional partner, despite shifting regional dynamics and significant recent Israeli military successes.

Since Israel’s founding in 1948, its relationship with Lebanon has been marred by conflict, including major wars in 1978, 1982 and 2006. While Israeli actions on Lebanese soil left scars, the far greater...