Netanyahu Hails Israel-Lebanon Framework, Vows Wider Unity Government and Pushes Back on Draft Arrests

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a press conference on Zoom on Thursday evening as Israel and Lebanon reached a framework agreement and the IDF prepared to withdraw from two areas in southern Lebanon. He said the deal, brokered by the United States, is a “historic achievement” that could lead to an eventual peace agreement, while allowing Israel to keep a security strip inside Lebanon until Hezbollah and other armed groups are disarmed and there is no longer a threat from Lebanese territory.

Netanyahu argued that the understanding is a major blow to Iran and Hezbollah. He said the two sides and the United States were telling Tehran that it has no role in the arrangement, and claimed the deal came after heavy Israeli blows to Hezbollah and Iran. He said Hezbollah had possessed 150,000 rockets and missiles, and that Israel had destroyed about 90 percent of that stockpile. He also cited the killings of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Radwan Force commanders, and said more than 200 militants were killed in the last two weeks and over 9,000 since the war began.

The prime minister said Israel and Lebanon agreed on two areas near the “yellow line,” recommended by the IDF, where a pilot program will test Hezbollah’s disarmament and the transfer of territory to the Lebanese army. He thanked President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Lebanese government and people, and Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, for their roles in the talks. He added that Israel continues to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure, including bunkers, tunnels and “terror villages,” and said the country is also working on a solution to the global problem of explosive drones.

Netanyahu said the agreement strengthens Israel and Lebanon while weakening Iran and Hezbollah, and that Israel will continue efforts to restore security to the north. He said the government will also invest more than 20 billion shekels to revive the northern region, as it did in the Gaza border area. In the Q&A, he said he intends to build a broad unity government without relying on Arab parties, rejected a two-state solution, and responded to criticism over arrests of yeshiva students by saying that if such arrests happened in Europe, people would be shocked. He added that sanctions should be imposed on those who do not study Torah.