In Lebanon, many saw the election on Thursday of Gen. Joseph Aoun, the commander of the Lebanese military, as a crucial step toward bringing stability to the country. It was also seen as a concession by Hezbollah and, some analysts said, an acknowledgment that the group was no longer in a position to paralyze the state.

With the January 26 deadline for Lebanon’s fragile ceasefire fast approaching, Israel and Hezbollah must withdraw from southern Lebanon to avoid renewed hostilities. As communities clean up from the last war,