Minister Ze'ev Elkin said Wednesday that greater achievements on the Iran and Lebanon fronts were possible had the United States matched Israel's determination to strike, according to remarks carried by Israeli media. The comment offers a rare public Israeli critique of the pace of US action against shared adversaries.
Minister of Jerusalem and Heritage Ze'ev Elkin (Likud) stated Wednesday that the Israeli effort on the Iran and Lebanon fronts could have achieved larger results, but was held back by a less aggressive US approach. "Greater gains could have been reached if the Americans were as determined as we are to strike," Elkin said, according to remarks picked up by Israeli media.
Elkin's statement — made at 17:11 Jerusalem — comes amid a period of elevated Israeli security operations, including a reported June 8 strike in Iran and ongoing assessments of Iranian retaliation. While Israeli officials have generally refrained from criticizing the pace of US operations in public, Elkin's wording is a pointed divergence from the usual bilateral script. He did not specify which operations or targets he believed the US should have hit more aggressively.
On a separate matter, Elkin also addressed the proposed Basic Law: Torah Study, stating that contrary to what he called "spin and lies," the legislation does not equate Torah scholars with IDF soldiers, but rather recognizes the value of Torah study. He insisted the status quo on military exemptions would not change. The Basic Law has been a flashpoint in coalition politics, with background reporting from June 10 showing earlier language comparing Torah study to military service was later removed from the bill.
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