National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is speaking out this evening (Saturday) against the agreement being formed with Lebanon, defining it as a "historic mistake" and claiming that it will give Hezbollah time to recover.
And so he wrote:
""Citizens of Israel, dear residents of the north, I am saying here what everyone understands in private, but some refuse to admit it out loud: the agreement being formed with Lebanon is a historic mistake, a terrible loss, and one that will be mourned for generations.".
We are at a critical juncture. The terrorist organization Hezbollah is at its lowest point since its founding. It is battered, bruised, disconnected from its chain of command, and bleeding. Instead of continuing to press the pedal, deepening the blow, and achieving a complete victory that will remove the threat to the residents of the north for years to come - what are we doing? We are giving it exactly the lifeline it begged for in the form of a ceasefire. We are giving it breathing space to rehabilitate, rearm, and build the next monster.
The argument that the Lebanese army will dismantle Hezbollah is an accurate version of the story of "The Emperor's New Clothes." Everyone knows that the king is naked, but they continue to cheer on this suit.
The illusion that the Lebanese army will maintain security and enforce its sovereignty in southern Lebanon is a dangerous illusion at best, and self-deception at worst. Let's tell the truth:
The Lebanese army will not fight Hezbollah. It has never done so, and it will not do so tomorrow.
The Lebanese army is weak and infiltrated. Hezbollah members and their sympathizers are an integral part of the ranks of this army. They have not prevented any strengthening of Hezbollah for decades, and nothing will change now.
The terrorist organization Hezbollah also sits within the Lebanese government, it is part of the government. This agreement was not signed behind its back, on the contrary - it gives Hezbollah exactly what it asked for: a ceasefire to recover, resupply and prepare with renewed forces for the next round against Israel.
We've been in this movie before. In 2006, they sold us UN Resolution 1701 as a historic achievement that would make Hezbollah disappear from southern Lebanon. Everyone knew then that it was a fake, and we all saw the results.
I opposed and fought with all my might in the last few weeks in the cabinet against this agreement. The blood of IDF fighters who fell in the struggle against Hezbollah is too precious to give Hezbollah time to organize, and to bet on the Lebanese army to do the work instead of the IDF.
Agreements are signed only with those who are completely defeated. In the face of murderous terrorist organizations, one does not sign securities - against them one achieves a clear decision. One must not stop before the enemy has made a decision. One must not give the enemy a chance to recover.
Unfortunately, every time we made agreements with terrorist organizations, we paid dearly for it. Thousands of IDF soldiers and civilians paid with their lives over the years for this concept.
I know that there are those who will attack me for attacking the policies of the right-wing government of which I am a part, but I have never adjusted my positions to please and be okay. Even before October 7, I attacked the government's policies in Gaza, and to my deep regret, it's a shame that I was right.
"The residents of the north have the right to return to their homes in real security, not in the imaginary security of papers and empty international promises. I will continue to fight in the cabinet and the government against this bad agreement, and for a complete military solution.".
