Minister Orit Strock, an observer in the Security Cabinet, spoke with Arutz Sheva - Israel National News about the ceasefire in Lebanon and whether it was a mistake for her party to support the agreement.
"In Lebanon, it is not a settlement but a ceasefire that is currently important due to strategic circumstances that cannot be detailed," says Strock. "Of course, an agreement with Hezbollah, a terrorist organization solely existing to harm us, and with Lebanon, a proxy state of that organization - such an agreement is not worth the paper it is written on and is therefore not considered an agreement, but a ceasefire. What really matters is not the wording of the ceasefire framework, but the content of the comment from the American president, which is essentially a broad interpretation of the framework, allowing Israel full operational freedom."
"This full operational freedom was important to us to achieve, so we worked a week before the cabinet meeting on significant changes to the contents of the agreement," the minister continues. "After achieving a good draft from the US, we ensured that Israel accepts the ceasefire framework only subject to the conditions of the American commitment, and during the cabinet meeting, we worked on our internal decision, compelling Israel to act with a zero-tolerance policy, not just if we are fired upon or attacked, but also on any attempt to restore terror infrastructures, including those inside houses and in civilian disguises."
"We acted to ensure that Israel does not enter into a 'quiet will be answered with quiet' conspiracy again, that the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy is anchored in a cabinet decision, implemented under the cabinet's supervision, that Hezbollah cannot rearm by land, air, or sea, and that the exit from Lebanon is not automatic but depends on the behavior of the other side and continuous monitoring and approval by the cabinet."
"The right step we took, to significantly improve the terms of the ceasefire and the policy of Israeli operational freedom - created a good basis for continued action, and we still continue and will continue to accompany and supervise and ensure that indeed everything we committed to ourselves is carried out."
"We are not calling residents to return to the north since there is still no way to know how the ceasefire will be implemented and maintained. Our role is to enable them to return from a civilian perspective: to rehabilitate the settlements both materially and communally, to strengthen, increase, and flourish them. And to provide residents with good conditions for returning and renewed growth. Of course, families with children should be allowed to finish the school year properly and return only towards the summer vacation. The tour I held in the settlements, together with the staff of the Ministry of Settlement and the Settlement Division, is part of our ministry's effort, as a ministry responsible for rural settlement within the governmental effort to rehabilitate the north."
This week, Strock, the CEO of the Settlement Ministry, and the CEO of the Settlement Division held a professional tour in the communities adjacent to the fence in the north, meeting with tax authority teams that came to assess damages in the communities ahead of receiving compensation from the state, "The Ministry of Settlement, under my leadership, takes a central role in rehabilitating communities and accompanying communities with the aim of strengthening and developing the area."
Minister Orit Strock, an observer in the Security Cabinet, spoke with Arutz Sheva - Israel National News about the ceasefire in Lebanon and whether it was a mistake for her party to support the agreement.
"In Lebanon, it is not a settlement but a ceasefire that is currently important due to strategic circumstances that cannot be detailed," says Strock. "Of course, an agreement with Hezbollah, a terrorist organization solely existing to harm us, and with Lebanon, a proxy state of that organization - such an agreement is not worth the paper it is written on and is therefore not considered an agreement, but a ceasefire. What really matters is not the wording of the ceasefire framework, but the content of the comment from the American president, which is essentially a broad interpretation of the framework, allowing Israel full operational freedom."
"This full operational freedom was important to us to achieve, so we worked a week before the cabinet meeting on significant changes to the contents of the agreement," the minister continues. "After achieving a good draft from the US, we ensured that Israel accepts the ceasefire framework only subject to the conditions of the American commitment, and during the cabinet meeting, we worked on our internal decision, compelling Israel to act with zero-tolerance policy, not just if we are fired upon or attacked, but also on any attempt to restore terror infrastructures, including those inside houses and in civilian disguises."
"We acted to ensure that Israel does not enter into a 'quiet will be answered with quiet' conspiracy again, that the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy is anchored in a cabinet decision, implemented under the cabinet's supervision, that Hezbollah cannot rearm by land, air, or sea, and that the exit from Lebanon is not automatic but depends on the behavior of the other side and continuous monitoring and approval by the cabinet."
"The right step we took, to significantly improve the terms of the ceasefire and the policy of Israeli operational freedom - created a good basis for continued action, and we still continue and will continue to accompany and supervise and ensure that indeed everything we committed to ourselves is carried out."
"We are not calling residents to return to the north since there is still no way to know how the ceasefire will be implemented and maintained. Our role is to enable them to return from a civilian perspective: to rehabilitate the settlements both materially and communally, to strengthen, increase, and flourish them. And to provide residents with good conditions for returning and renewed growth. Of course, families with children should be allowed to finish the school year properly and return only towards the summer vacation. The tour I held in the settlements, together with the staff of the Ministry of Settlement and the Settlement Division, is part of our ministry's effort, as a ministry responsible for rural settlement within the governmental effort to rehabilitate the north."
This week, Strock, the CEO of the Settlement Ministry, and the CEO of the Settlement Division held a professional tour in the communities adjacent to the fence in the north, meeting with tax authority teams that came to assess damages in the communities ahead of receiving compensation from the state, "The Ministry of Settlement, under my leadership, takes a central role in rehabilitating communities and accompanying communities with the aim of strengthening and developing the area."
The Head of Hula Valley Council told Strock during the tour, "The Ministry of Settlement does sacred work and helps us to get the residents back. I believed in the minister when everyone criticized, everyone doubted, I believed in you and your people."
David Azulai, head of the Metula Council, said at the end of the tour that Minister Strock and the settlement ministry are trying to help the city of Metula to recover.
Strock said at the end of the tour, "We have been working with the communities of the north throughout the war, primarily against the difficulty of detachment from home and community breakdown. We invested in social and community support, and in strategic planning of the growth horizon for each settlement. And now, I hope greatly, the stage of accompaniment in returning home has arrived."
The Head of Hula Valley Council told Strock during the tour, "The Ministry of Settlement does sacred work and helps us to get the residents back. I believed in the minister when everyone criticized, everyone doubted, I believed in you and your people."
David Azulai, head of the Metula Council, said at the end of the tour that Minister Strock and the settlement ministry are trying to help the city of Metula to recover.
Strock said at the end of the tour, "We have been working with the communities of the north throughout the war, primarily against the difficulty of detachment from home and community breakdown. We invested in social and community support, and in strategic planning of the growth horizon for each settlement. And now, I hope greatly, the stage of accompaniment in returning home has arrived."