Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has set forth Israel's key conditions for any potential settlement with Lebanon, according to a report by Israeli Army Radio, based on his speech, on Monday, in the Knesset. The conditions are centered on addressing security concerns and ensuring Israel’s operational freedom in the region.
In his Knesset speech, Netanyahu emphasized the following demands, insisting that Hezbollah, which has a strong presence in southern Lebanon, must be kept away from its border to reduce the threat of direct confrontations. The Israeli government seeks to maintain its ability to act within Lebanon if necessary, particularly in the context of countering threats posed by Hezbollah or other groups.
Israel "will carry out military operations" against Hezbollah even in the event of a truce agreement in Lebanon, said Netanyahu.
He stressed the importance of “shutting down the supply routes used to transport weapons and other resources from Syria into Lebanon”, which often strengthen the militant group’s arsenal.
These conditions come as tensions remain high along the Israeli-Lebanese border, with recent skirmishes highlighting the ongoing volatility in the area. Netanyahu’s statements underline Israel's firm stance on security as a non-negotiable aspect of any agreement with Lebanon.
“We faced three proposed strategies for addressing Hezbollah. I opted for a fourth: to dismantle its missile capabilities. We’ve destroyed 70-80% of Hezbollah’s missile systems, but the group still retains considerable firepower.” stated Netanyahu.
No formal public response has yet been issued by Lebanese officials regarding these conditions.
A war of ‘survival’
Moreover, Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of obstructing a potential prisoner exchange deal, citing statements from US officials to support his claims. "We are in a new war for the survival and future of our state,” he said.
“Efforts to bring back our hostages have not stopped for a single moment. It is Hamas, not Israel, that is hindering the completion of a prisoner exchange deal. US officials, including Kirby and others, have confirmed that Hamas refuses negotiations and remains the main obstacle; he added.”
“We have destroyed a significant portion of Hamas' capabilities. While the work is not yet complete, we have made substantial progress,”concluded Netanyahu.
‘It’s not a secret’
On another hand, Netanyahu said that Israel’s retaliatory attack on Iran last month degraded Tehran’s defense and missile production capabilities and also hit an element of its nuclear program. “It’s not a secret. There is a specific component in their nuclear program that was hit in this attack,” he added.
However, the Israeli Prime minister considered that Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon has not been blocked. Last week, the Axios news site revealed that Israel destroyed an active nuclear weapons research facility in Parchin during last month’s attack on Iran.
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