Ben Gvir Defends Lebanon Post That Sparked International Outcry

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir responded on Sunday to the global backlash over a Friday morning post about Lebanon that was still visible on X but marked as violating platform rules. The post came after a difficult night for the IDF in Lebanon and after the army announced that four soldiers were killed in a tank accident.

In the post, Ben Gvir wrote that “for every tear of an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers should cry,” and added that “Lebanon as a whole needs to burn.” He said Israel must show the world that the blood of its sons and the safety of its citizens are not expendable, and that protecting Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers comes before all else. He also posted that Israel cannot win in the Middle East through “measured responses and containment,” but must “go crazy,” “erase” and “defeat” terrorism.

By Sunday afternoon, the post had been viewed by more than 18 million users on X. The message drew heavy criticism abroad, including from Iran’s foreign minister, who said Ben Gvir represented a “murderous cult based in Tel Aviv” that threatened humanity.

Speaking to Sharon Gal on Kol Yisrael radio, Ben Gvir said he hoped the post would reach 40 million views and argued that “Israel is not the punching bag of anyone.” He said he respects and likes President Donald Trump, but Israel must still be able to tell him no. Ben Gvir also said he drew his “red line” when Israeli soldiers are killed and civilians are attacked, and insisted Israel cannot stop the fighting in Lebanon. He added that he wrote “Lebanese” deliberately, saying the Lebanese government is also responsible because it includes Hezbollah members and operates as a revolving door.