Ben Gvir: Lebanon Should Be Israel’s 'Playground,' Rejects Ceasefire Pressure

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said Monday on Kan Reshet Bet’s morning program that Lebanon should be “the playground of the State of Israel.” He argued that Israel should strike any building where there is terrorism, and said that if militants hide among civilians, his priority is protecting Israeli soldiers. In his words, even with fewer troops, Israel can still achieve results if Lebanon is treated as “our playground.”

Ben Gvir also addressed the reported tension between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump. He called Trump “a real friend” and said Netanyahu should be polite and embrace him, but added that Israel should make clear it cannot agree to a ceasefire in Lebanon. “We make the decisions,” he said, arguing it is not normal for Israeli troops to pull back to the border while Hezbollah re-arms.

Responding to criticism over a social media post about Lebanese mothers, Ben Gvir said Lebanon is a state that supports terrorism and described it as having a “revolving door” leadership. He also attacked Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, accusing her of wanting to influence the election result. Ben Gvir said that if the attorney general is trying to skew the outcome, “the left will try to steal the election,” and added, “the people do not fit the left.”