National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir on Monday called for Israeli operations in southern Lebanon to continue even in the event of a dispute with the United States, emphasizing that Israel's first and foremost commitment is to its own security.
Responding to a question from Arutz Sheva-Israel National News during a press briefing at his faction meeting, Ben Gvir stated, "We are an independent country, and we cannot stop demolishing houses in southern Lebanon."
He urged the government "to continue acting even against the position of the United States," adding, "We cannot stop preventing the population in southern Lebanon from returning. It endangers our soldiers; it endangers our residents. We must not allow them to return to the borders, to return to the status quo before October 7."
Ben Gvir added that Israel must maintain its hold on the territory even if it conflicts with the position of the US administration. "We must retain control of the territory, even against the wishes of President Trump," he said.
Ben Gvir continued, "Faced with existential threats, we must not act out of external pressure, but rather out of our national conscience. Just as an individual is obligated to do whatever it takes to defend their home, the State of Israel is obligated to do what Israel must do."
"History teaches us a painful lesson: every time we chose the path of containment, deferred a decisive outcome, or relied on a false quiet, we paid the heaviest price. Let me be unequivocally clear: the era of endless rounds of fighting is over. Not in Gaza, not in Lebanon, and not against Iran. I demand that the Prime Minister allow IDF soldiers to continue the critical work of demolishing homes, eliminating Hezbollah terrorists, and keeping residents away from their houses - we must not operate according to understandings reached between Trump and Khamenei," Ben Gvir added.
He declared that "any fragment of a drone or missile launched at us will demand a crushing response, to the point of setting the Dahieh ablaze. Firing at the State of Israel is tantamount to a declaration of war, and in war, as in war, you strive for a decisive victory. We have proven through concrete action that when a security window opens, our moral duty is to see the mission through to the very end. Stopping halfway is neither a strategy nor an option. We deeply cherish and appreciate our profound friendship with the United States and President Trump's standing with Israel. However, the direct and exclusive responsibility for Israel's security rests solely on the Israeli government. Israel must maintain total freedom of military action at all times and in all places; we will not accept a reality where terrorist organizations retain capabilities that threaten our sovereignty and the lives of our citizens."
Turning to the Prime Minister, he said, "Our dear Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: it is in moments like these that leadership is tested. History will never remember those who sought a temporary, fake quiet, but only those who dared to secure the safety of the people and the state. The People of Israel returned to their land to live in security, freedom, and pride, and that is exactly how I expect you to continue to act."