Ben Gvir Says Trump’s Deal Does Not Bind Israel

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir issued the first right-wing response on Monday to the U.S.-Iran agreement, insisting that Israel is not bound by it. He said, “Trump’s agreement does not bind us. Israel is not subordinate to the United States and we are an independent and sovereign country.”

Ben Gvir said Israel’s duty is to protect Israeli citizens, IDF soldiers and the Jewish people, and invoked what he called a historical obligation to defend Jews after thousands of years of exile and persecution. He argued that every time Israel yielded to international pressure at the expense of its security, it paid “a bloody price,” citing the Oslo Accords, the 2006 Lebanon agreement and years of containment in Gaza.

While saying Israel loves the United States and is grateful to President Trump, he stressed that “the State of Israel is not a banana republic.” He said he repeats this message to the prime minister in closed-door talks at every major turning point, arguing that history requires decisive action.

Ben Gvir said Israel should not be part of any deal that does not ensure its security. He said there must be no compromise short of dismantling Hezbollah, no withdrawal from territory captured and cleared of terror infrastructure, and no return to a situation where thousands of terrorists sit near northern border communities. He added that any drone, UAV or missile launch from Lebanon should trigger an Israeli strike in Beirut’s Dahiya district, saying that was the deterrence balance only months ago and must be preserved. He ended by saying the Jewish people are a 3,000-year-old nation that has returned to its homeland and will no longer lower its eyes to enemies, concluding: “The days when Jews absorbed blows and held back are over. Never again!”