Former IDF General Says Israel Should Ease Pressure in Lebanon to Help Iran Deal Talks

Retired Maj. Gen. Yaakov Amidror, a former head of Israel’s National Security Council and a senior fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, told Channel 7 at the Heart for Science, Technology and Security conference that Israel should act in Lebanon with restraint in order to preserve room for maneuver and help the United States secure a better deal with Iran.

Amidror argued that Lebanon cannot be separated from the wider Iranian file. He said Washington is negotiating with Tehran over the removal of enriched uranium and an end to Iran’s future enrichment efforts, and that Iran has tied those talks to the situation in Lebanon. In his view, this has created American pressure on Israel not to respond too harshly against Hezbollah, something he said runs counter to Israeli interests.

“We are not going to be able to separate what is happening in Lebanon from our desire for the American negotiations to succeed in removing enriched uranium from Iran,” he said, adding that Israel must handle both arenas carefully. He said Israeli troops should be allowed to defend themselves and improve their battlefield position, preferably quietly because, he said, there are “too many talkers in the senior ranks.” At the same time, he said Israel should let the Americans finish their contacts. If Washington succeeds in getting the uranium out of Iran, “and the chances are small,” he said, that would be good for Israel.

Asked why he still trusts the Americans to achieve something that seems unlikely, Amidror pointed to the release of all the hostages from Gaza. He said he had not believed that would happen and that it taught him not to underestimate the U.S., even if it appears naive or uninformed. He described a less aggressive Israeli posture in Lebanon as an acceptable price, as long as it does not weaken soldiers’ ability to protect themselves.

Amidror also rejected the way Israelis often talk about “total victory.” He said victory should be measured in practical terms, not as a literary concept. In Gaza, he said, the goal should be to prevent Hamas from existing as an organization. In Lebanon, he said Israel cannot destroy Hezbollah completely, but it should ensure the group cannot harm Israeli civilians. “To hope for victory like in Europe? That seems childish,” he concluded.