Minister Naftali Bennett responded Sunday to Lebanese President Michel Aoun's statement over the weekend that Lebanon would not prevent Hezbollah from continuing to hold its weapons, saying, "The Lebanese president's statements about Hezbollah's immunity only emphasize what we said: Lebanon = Hezbollah = Lebanon. All Lebanese leaders and residents should know: Any firing from Lebanon on Israeli cities will be considered a declaration of war by the state of Lebanon against Israel."
The chairman of the Jewish Home party continued, "There is no difference between Hezbollah and Lebanon because they are one and the same. We are for quiet, but the days are over when Lebanon will be immune, while the citizens of Israel are absorbing rockets from its territory."