Yotam Zimri Says Iran’s Warning Is “Essentially Right,” Citing Past Israeli Withdrawals

An Iranian Quds Force commander threatened that if Israel does not withdraw on its own from southern Lebanon, it will be forced out defeated. Speaking on Channel 14’s "The Patriots," panelist Yotam Zimri said he agreed with that claim in principle, while pointing to what he called humiliating Israeli pullouts from Lebanon, Gaza, and the West Bank.

Zimri said, "Essentially they are right. The last time we left there it was humiliating." He added, "We ran from Lebanon, we ran from Gaza, we ran from Judea and Samaria." He also warned about a future Israeli government that could take office in a few months, saying that if it includes people who call the area a "sacrificial strip," "that can happen."

At the same time, Zimri said the current government has changed policy after the October 7 attacks. He said that at present Israel controls about 8 percent of Lebanon, describing it as the commanding ridges and a security strip, and about 60 to 70 percent of the Gaza Strip. He also referred to the expansion of Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria.

Zimri concluded that the current government has "turned the table" on previous Israeli withdrawals, including the Oslo Accords, the pullout from Lebanon, and the withdrawal from Gaza. He also said Syria should be added to the list of areas where policy has shifted.