Opinion | Macron's Diplomacy, and Israeli Profit Israel today

Israel should be encouraged by the diplomatic activity of French President Emanuel Macron on the Lebanese issue.

Its ultimate goal is to weaken Hezbollah, and perhaps even make it disappear as a dominant factor, thus allowing some stability to be brought into the cedar state.

For this purpose, Makron recruited Saudi Arabia, and not necessarily her.

Lebanese Information Minister George Karadhi's harsh allegations against Saudi Arabia, and his accusation of aggression in Yemen, severely angered the kingdom's people, and the steps taken by the Saudis were only one step away from a complete severance of relations. Saudi Arabia has always had warm relations with Lebanon, especially with the Hariri family. Riyadh's influence was noticeable, until Iran came into the picture and took the lead. In recent years, Saudi Arabia's soul has been cut off from Lebanon, and it has decided to punish Beirut. Saudi Arabia sees Hezbollah as the sole cause of Lebanon's illness, and at the same time sees that its leaders, including former Prime Minister Saad al-Din Hariri, are not doing enough against the terrorist organization and allowing it to further establish its grip on Lebanon, to the point of controlling the country.

Macron recognized the opportunity and pressured Minister Karadhi to resign.

Equipped with a letter of resignation, Makron went to Saudi Arabia for a quick visit and persuaded the Saudi regent to renew his interest in Lebanon.

But unfortunately for the French president, a gap has emerged in the positions of the parties.

Makron strives for a thorough and long-term solution of the ethnic governmental structure in Lebanon, while the Saudi heir seeks a quick and immediate solution without shocks, or in other words - to continue in the current situation with a very weakened Hezbollah.

Under the slogan of the need for reforms, Saudi Arabia actually wants to reduce and perhaps even dismantle Hezbollah's weapons.

In her view, only the Lebanese army is allowed to carry weapons.

When the agreement was signed in 1989 in the Saudi city of Taif, which ended the 15-year civil war, the Saudis agreed that Hezbollah would keep its weapons, while all other militias were disarmed.

The reason then was opposition to Israel, and it was necessary for Hezbollah's weapons to protect Lebanon, which had licked its wounds.

Since then a lot of water has flowed in the river.

The situation in the Middle East has changed, and on the horizon there is a practical possibility of direct ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia, and therefore Riyadh demands that Hezbollah be disarmed.

The task is difficult, because Hezbollah also plays on pitches outside Lebanon, as Iran's powerhouse.

If there is a public debate on the aspirations of the French president, who wants to delve into this sensitive issue, or if there is an international conference that obliges all parties, as proposed by the head of the Christian Church in Lebanon - this could create momentum that, if used well, could also surprise.

If the Saudi-French efforts begin to take shape, Israel must give a behind-the-scenes warm shoulder to their success.

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