Orit Strock, a member of the Security Cabinet, hailed the agreement with Lebanon as a turning point, saying that for the first time in decades, the diplomatic track translates into territorial gain rather than withdrawal. She assessed that while the Lebanese army is unlikely to disarm Hezbollah, Israel will remain and continue operating legitimately in Lebanon.
Orit Strock, a member of the Security Cabinet and head of the Settlement Ministry, praised the framework agreement with Lebanon as a "historic shift" in a statement Sunday morning. She argued that for the first time in decades, the diplomatic track is not delivering an Israeli withdrawal but rather territorial gains — what she called the "political leg capturing territory." Strock described the deal as giving northern residents a sterile security zone, preserving the achievements of IDF soldiers who sacrificed for this goal, and providing Israel with insurance against Iranian demands for a pullout from Lebanon. However, she was blunt about enforcement: "The chance that the Lebanese army will succeed in disarming Hezbollah is zero. We will stay and continue to operate there legitimately." Her remarks follow a wave of Israeli political backing for the framework, including from Defense Minister Israel Katz, who on Saturday called it a historic achievement, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who reportedly shifted his stance to endorse the deal. The agreement does not require immediate Israeli territorial withdrawal, a feature analysts have described as unique for a peace framework with a neighboring state. Hezbollah has rejected the deal, demanding its scrapping, and Middle East analysts cited by The Zioneer have assessed the group is furious. The framework gives the Lebanese state — not Hezbollah — interim security responsibility in southern Lebanon, with IDF forces maintaining their positions until full disarmament of the militia.
- DevelopingIsraeli analysts: Lebanon deal sends strong signal, Hezbollah 'furious'
- StrongKatz calls Lebanon deal a historic achievement, vows no IDF withdrawal until Hezbollah disarmed
- StrongBen-Gvir slams emerging Lebanon agreement as historic mistake, urges military decision
- DevelopingAnalysis: Israel-Lebanon understandings recognized by Washington, buy time on northern front
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