Prime Minister Netanyahu said Thursday at the dedication of Highway 60 that restoring security to the north requires maintaining the security zone in southern Lebanon, and Israel will not withdraw as long as its security needs demand it. He added that the challenges require standing firm on Israeli interests alongside preserving ties with the United States.
Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated his security-first position on the northern front during the dedication ceremony for Highway 60 on Thursday afternoon, framing the IDF's continued presence in southern Lebanon as a non-negotiable condition for restoring security to northern Israeli communities. His remarks come amid reported diplomatic friction with the Trump administration over the pace of an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon as part of broader regional understandings.
As The Zioneer reported earlier Thursday, Netanyahu told President Trump that Israel will not withdraw from Lebanon or abandon northern residents. Wednesday saw assessments that U.S. pressure on the premier over the southern Lebanon withdrawal would persist after the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding. Defense Minister Katz said Monday that Netanyahu conveyed the same position to Trump regarding security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza.
The Prime Minister's latest statement at the highway dedication adds a public, on-the-ground dimension to the message—linking Israel's security doctrine to a concrete infrastructure project in Judea and Samaria. He explicitly balanced firmness on security interests with the importance of maintaining the U.S. relationship.
4 developments
- DevelopingNetanyahu tells Trump Israel won't withdraw from Lebanon, abandon north
- StrongKatz: Netanyahu told Trump Israel won't withdraw from Lebanon, Syria, Gaza security zones
- StrongIsraeli fears: Trump pressure on Netanyahu over south Lebanon withdrawal to persist after Iran MOU
- DevelopingTrump presses Netanyahu to withdraw from Lebanon by Friday
Source and signal
- Internal intake