Cabinet Clash Erupts Over Israel's Lebanon Policy and Hezbollah

A tense dispute broke out in last night’s security cabinet meeting over Israel’s policy in Lebanon and how to deal with Hezbollah after the ceasefire. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said troops on the ground are responding to any immediate threat, adding, “Any immediate threat, the soldiers in the field respond. We are not restricting any soldier.” He also said, “The Americans understand our right to defend ourselves.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Minister Orit Strock criticized what they described as Hezbollah’s continued rearmament. Ben Gvir asked, “If Hezbollah is rearming, why not dismantle them?” and later said, “I do not want a ceasefire, exactly because of this.” Strock said soldiers in the field feel “as if they are at a shooting range,” while stressing that it is good they respond to every immediate threat.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir replied that the ceasefire was ordered by the political leadership, saying, “You wanted a ceasefire.” Ben Gvir rejected that, saying he had opposed the deal from the start. Defense Minister Israel Katz said every soldier may respond immediately to any threat, and later noted that the ceasefire arrangement has advantages and disadvantages, but Israel is not endangering its soldiers.

Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf said there are operational limits beyond the “yellow line” that was set. Strock also claimed Hezbollah continues to move weapons. Ben Gvir urged a harder line, arguing Israel should use the moment to intensify action against Hezbollah, saying there are wounded soldiers and that this is “an opportunity to collapse the agreement” and strike “hundreds of targets.”