National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said Saturday evening that the framework agreement with Lebanon is a 'big mistake,' and that he has already asked Prime Minister Netanyahu for a cabinet vote. Ben-Gvir argued that Israel stays in most of the territory for now but that Lebanon will not disarm Hezbollah, and that only IDF soldiers can destroy the group.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir sharply criticized the Israel-Lebanon framework agreement Saturday evening, calling it a 'big mistake' in a statement. He said he had already approached Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to demand a cabinet vote on the matter, adding that he has been fighting the deal for weeks.
Ben-Gvir acknowledged that Israel would remain in most of the territory for now, but argued that Lebanon will not disarm Hezbollah, noting that members of the Lebanese government are Hezbollah ministers. 'Only IDF soldiers will destroy Hezbollah — no other factor will do it for us,' he said.
The remarks come as the framework deal, signed overnight between Israel and Lebanon, continues to face domestic opposition from right-wing ministers. As The Zioneer reported earlier Saturday, Prime Minister Netanyahu described Lebanon's signature as 'a very brave step' and a fundamental shift in the balance of power. Ben-Gvir's opposition follows earlier calls by him to collapse the ceasefire agreement and target hundreds of Hezbollah sites. The security cabinet is expected to discuss the matter further.
3 developments
- DevelopingBen-Gvir calls to exploit events to collapse Lebanon agreement, target hundreds of Hezbollah sites
- DevelopingBen Gvir at Jerusalem market: 'The ceasefire in Lebanon cannot continue'
- StrongBen Gvir: Israel must not accept US-Iran ceasefire
- StrongNetanyahu sees Lebanon deal as major setback for Iran, pushes for broad coalition
Source and signal
- Internal intake