Likud MKs Advocate Jewish Settlement in South Lebanon Ahead of Primaries

Ahead of the Likud party primaries, several Likud Members of Knesset have publicly expressed support for establishing Jewish settlements in southern Lebanon. This stance is part of a broader call to revise Israel's northern border security strategy, including territorial control and settlement expansion beyond the current boundaries. The movement Orly Tzafon, which promotes resettlement in southern Lebanon, released videos featuring MKs Amit Halevi, Ariel Kallner, and Tali Gottlieb discussing the need to shift the border line and assert Israeli presence as a core security measure.

MK Amit Halevi emphasized the necessity for Israel to adopt a stronger, more proactive security posture, advocating for control up to the Litani River in Lebanon, which he described as a natural and strategic border. He also proposed annexing the buffer zones in Syria, referencing the collapse of the 1974 ceasefire agreement and calling for the application of Israeli law to these areas, following the precedent set by Menachem Begin in the Golan Heights.

MK Ariel Kallner echoed the call for settlement across all parts of the Land of Israel, explicitly including southern Lebanon, which he equated with the Upper Galilee region. He framed settlement as a symbol of victory and security, rejecting distinctions between different territorial designations such as Areas A and B.

MK Tali Gottlieb linked territorial control directly to national security, stressing the importance of pushing the border line forward and highlighting the role of settlement and agriculture in securing the land. She called for a government decision to advance this policy, criticizing previous legal approaches to terrorism as inadequate.

Orly Tzafon praised the Likud MKs’ statements as evidence that the idea of settlement in southern Lebanon is gaining mainstream support within the party. The movement vowed to continue efforts to transform this vision into reality, aiming to prevent northern Israel from remaining a frontline against terrorist organizations. Concurrently, various settlement advocacy groups are urging Likud members to support pro-settlement candidates in the upcoming primaries, releasing a recommended list that includes Ariel Kallner, Boaz Bismuth, Amit Halevi, Tali Gottlieb, Moshe Saada, Shlomo Karai, Nissim Vaturi, Avichai Boaron, Yariv Levin, Mai Golan, Osher Shkalim, and Osnat Zohar.