Likud MK and Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee member Amit Halevi warned Thursday evening that a reported US proposal to pilot a deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) in areas currently held by the IDF is "dangerous and unacceptable," citing Hezbollah's deep infiltration of the LAF and the risk to Israeli soldiers and residents. Halevi said he has reached out to U.S. administration and congressional contacts to resist the pressure.
Likud MK Amit Halevi, a member of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, issued a sharp warning Thursday evening against a reported US proposal under which the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) would replace IDF troops in certain areas as part of a pilot program. Halevi described the plan as "dangerous and unacceptable," arguing that the LAF has cooperated with Hezbollah for years and that significant parts of it are Shia operatives tied to the organization. He said the prospect of such units replacing the IDF "chills the blood and endangers our soldiers and our residents." Halevi stated he had already contacted members of the U.S. administration and Congress to push back against what he described as pressure on Israel. The remarks come amid ongoing diplomatic efforts involving the US, Lebanon, and regional actors to stabilize southern Lebanon following IDF operations against Hezbollah. As The Zioneer has reported, several analyses and statements from both Israeli and international figures have highlighted concerns over Hezbollah's deep infiltration of the LAF, with some calling the demand for the LAF to disarm Hezbollah unrealistic (June 14, 21:28). The proposal Halevi references has not been officially confirmed by the US or Israeli governments.
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