Dr. Mordechai Kedar says Israel is giving the Lebanese Army a chance to prove itself in two pilot areas in southern Lebanon, where the IDF is expected to withdraw and allow Lebanese forces to take responsibility for removing Hezbollah.

But Kedar warned that this test may expose the army’s deepest weakness: many Lebanese soldiers are Shiites, and some may refuse to act against Hezbollah with the determination needed. He compared this to the problem of security forces that officially serve the state by day but remain loyal to another faction by night.

Kedar also addressed Christian villages in southern Lebanon, saying they are generally left alone as long as they do not host Hezbollah fighters. In cases where Hezbollah tried to hide among such villages, Israel acted against the terrorists directly. His conclusion was cautious: the Lebanese Army may be asked to deliver security, but Hezbollah’s grip on the country remains the central obstacle.