Effort to create buffer zone in Lebanon positions Israel as 'aggressive force requiring resistance'

Alison Sergent is pleased to welcome Dr Filippo Dionigi, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at the University of Bristol. According to Dr Dionigi, the expansion of Israeli control under the rationale of a “buffer zone” reflects a recurring strategic logic that has been attempted before, notably between 1982 and 2000. Yet history suggests that such measures often produce unintended consequences. Hezbollah’s legitimacy, especially within the Shia community, is not only military but narrative-driven, grounded in claims of resistance.