Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has strongly criticized the U.S.-brokered framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon, describing it as “a major mistake” and calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to submit the deal to the cabinet for debate and approval.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Ben-Gvir argued that maintaining Israeli troops in parts of the buffer zone would not be sufficient to guarantee Israel’s long-term security.
He said the Lebanese government lacks both the capability and the political will to disarm Hezbollah, insisting that only the Israeli military is capable of dismantling the group.
“The only force capable of destroying Hezbollah is the Israeli army. No one else will do it for us,” Ben-Gvir said.
His remarks highlight divisions within Israel’s leadership over the agreement, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described as a major diplomatic and security achievement.
According to Netanyahu, Israel will continue to maintain a military presence in the security zone in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah has been disarmed.
The U.S. State Department announced on Friday that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a new framework under American mediation. The agreement calls for Israeli forces to withdraw from parts of southern Lebanon currently under their control, while the Lebanese Army deploys to those areas.
The framework is also intended to pave the way for future peace negotiations and includes a series of immediate confidence-building and de-escalation measures aimed at reducing tensions along the border.
The agreement comes as the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah remains fragile, with both sides accusing each other of repeated violations in recent days.
