Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared Tuesday evening that Israel will not withdraw from Lebanon, pushing back against reported US pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu. The statement, made on the 'Patriots' program, marks one of the firmest public rejections of a pullout by a senior coalition figure.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Tuesday evening on the 'Patriots' program: 'There will be no withdrawal from Lebanon.' The statement, first reported by Israel Hayom correspondent Ariel Kahana, comes amid mounting reports that President Donald Trump is pressing Prime Minister Netanyahu to complete an IDF withdrawal from southern Lebanon by a deadline this week, as The Zioneer reported at 17:00. Smotrich's declaration is the strongest public rejection of a pullout by a senior coalition figure since the pressure campaign emerged, and it aligns with his earlier calls — reported by The Zioneer on June 8 — for a massive response in Lebanon instead of a tit-for-tat cycle with Iran.
Smotrich's position reflects a widening rift within the Israeli leadership: Netanyahu warned ministers on Monday that Israel will not grant immunity to threats in Beirut or Tehran, while Trump simultaneously gave Netanyahu a very different message — that Israel will not resume war with Iran and must follow his instructions. The finance minister's categorical language — 'no withdrawal' — goes beyond the prime minister's own formulation and suggests that the coalition's right flank is preparing to oppose any US-brokered timeline.
It remains unclear whether Smotrich's statement reflects a coordinated cabinet position or a preemptive move to bind Netanyahu's hands ahead of any decision.
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Source and signal
- Internal intake