Khaberni - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that he has directed the start of direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible, although voices in the cabinet have demanded larger attacks on its infrastructure.
Below are quotes from the "cabinet" (the Security Political Ministerial Council) regarding Lebanon, against the background of the decision to approach peace negotiations with the Lebanese government:
• National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir: "Lebanon is a state, and it must pay the price for 'Hezbollah's' actions. Its infrastructure must be destroyed and its electricity cut off. Hezbollah must not be allowed to hide behind them. Darkness must be imposed on Lebanon, and its citizens will pressure them, and we will end Hezbollah."
• Energy Minister Eli Cohen: "They must pay the price through their infrastructure. The state must take responsibility – bomb energy facilities and refineries, and leave no bridges for them. Enough of hiding behind Hezbollah."
• Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich: "Hezbollah will only learn if we control more land. We need to expand as much as possible and control more sites."
• Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar: "We must focus on Hezbollah and not on Lebanon. Negotiations with Lebanon are correct at this stage, and we can challenge them to deal with Hezbollah."
Conversely, Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri affirmed that Lebanon insists on a ceasefire as a basic condition for entering any negotiations, with no negotiations under fire.
Furthermore, the Lebanese government has filed an urgent complaint with the United Nations Security Council regarding the escalation and expansion of Israeli attacks on Lebanon, particularly in the capital Beirut, which resulted in a large number of victims.
It is worth noting that despite the agreement reached between Iran and the Israeli-American alliance for a ceasefire for two weeks, amid conflicting news about its inclusion of Lebanon, the Israeli army yesterday Wednesday launched violent attacks on various areas in Lebanon within a few minutes, resulting in hundreds of victims, killed and wounded, while many countries condemned these strikes.
