Past and present defense ministers are divided over the quality and merits of the agreement formulated with Lebanon, which is expected to receive government approval soon and come into effect shortly. Current Defense Minister Israel Katz has voiced support for the agreement, expressing confidence in its ability to enhance Israel’s security and its position against Hezbollah.
Katz met with the special UN envoy to Lebanon and clarified that the Israeli government will not tolerate violations of the agreement by the northern terrorist organization:
“What was will no longer be. We will act against any threat, at any time and place. We demand effective enforcement by UNIFIL. Every house rebuilt in southern Lebanon that serves as a terror base will be destroyed; every armament or terror organization will be attacked; every attempt to smuggle weapons will be thwarted, and every threat to our forces or Israeli civilians will be immediately eliminated.”
Gantz and Lieberman Take Different Stances
Former Defense Minister Benny Gantz commented on the emerging agreement, calling it “half a job.” Gantz argued that a withdrawal under the current conditions would benefit Hezbollah more than Israel, preventing a real change in the situation on the northern border and failing to ensure the return of evacuees to their homes. He stated that certain fundamental conditions must be included in any agreement with Lebanon:
1. Broad Israeli operational freedom in the air, both for strikes and intelligence surveillance.
2. A global arms embargo on Lebanon, which currently leads the world in weapons per capita, particularly regarding arms from Iran.
3. Inspection of the Litani River crossings, under international supervision.
4. Disarmament of villages along the Lebanese border, parallel to increased IDF presence on the Israeli side.
5. Expansion of UNIFIL’s enforcement mandate and the establishment of a U.S.-led monitoring mechanism.
Former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman was even more critical of the proposed arrangement with Lebanon.
“Netanyahu’s 2024 deal with Hezbollah is a repeat of Netanyahu’s 2018 deal with Hamas,” Lieberman wrote on Twitter, alluding to his reason for dismantling Netanyahu’s government at the time (a move that initiated Israel’s prolonged political crisis from 2019-2022), amid his opposition to Netanyahu’s push for an arrangement with Hamas.
