Rome, 21 June (LaPresse) – Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has promised that Israel will remain in the security zone it controls in Lebanon for years to come and will not withdraw even in the face of an explicit request for withdrawal from the United States. In an interview with the newspaper Makor Rishon, published at the weekend, Smotrich added, as reported by The Times of Israel, that he considers such a US request unlikely, because “they know our red lines”. When asked whether the army would remain in Lebanon for years, the far-right minister replied: “Yes, and I say this as someone who is currently conducting negotiations on the defence budget for the next decade.” When asked whether Israel should establish military outposts and entire bases in the security zone, Smotrich replied: “Absolutely yes. We will remain there until Hezbollah disarms, and I believe even beyond that, because we need defensible borders.”
Lebanon, Smotrich: “We will remain in the areas under our control for years to come”
Rome, 21 June (LaPresse) – Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has promised that Israel will remain in the security zone it controls in Lebanon for years to come and will not withdraw even in the face of an explicit request for withdrawal from the United States. In an interview with the newspaper Makor Rishon, published at the weekend, Smotrich added, as reported by The Times of Israel, that he considers such a US request unlikely, because “they know our red lines”. When asked whether the army would remain in Lebanon for years, the far-right minister replied: “Yes, and I say this as someone who is currently conducting negotiations on the defence budget for the next decade.” When asked whether Israel should establish military outposts and entire bases in the security zone, Smotrich replied: “Absolutely yes. We will remain there until Hezbollah disarms, and I believe even beyond that, because we need defensible borders.”
