‘Israel not party to US-Iran talks, will continue full operations in Lebanon,’ Israeli far-right minister says

Israel is not part of the negotiations between the US and Iran and will continue its offensive on Lebanon until Hezbollah is “fully dismantled,” not just disarmed, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said.

Smotrich, a far-right extremist member of Israel’s security cabinet, made the remarks Tuesday morning in an interview with Israeli Army Radio.

“Israel is not part of the negotiating talks with Iran by choice,” he said, adding: “We will not hold talks with the devil.”

“We are not a party to the negotiations between the United States and Iran, and they do not concern us at all,” Smotrich said.

“The Israeli army will not withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon, including the Beaufort Castle, as long as Hezbollah exists,” he said.

“We will not withdraw not only until Hezbollah gives up its weapons, but until it is fully dismantled,” he continued.

“We do not only want Hezbollah to be stripped of its weapons, but to be fully dismantled, not be part of the government in Lebanon, and not have any military force that threatens Israel,” he said.

The remarks come amid growing disputes within Israeli political and security circles over a memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran and their possible implications for ending the war on the Lebanese front.

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On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz and army chief Eyal Zamir vowed in a joint statement to continue controlling the “security zone” in southern Lebanon, despite the memorandum of understanding signed between the US and Iran, which calls for respecting Lebanon’s unity and territorial integrity.

“The [army] will continue to act decisively to thwart threats to our soldiers and civilians, destroy terror infrastructure, and continue maintaining the security zone in southern Lebanon,” according to the statement.

“The security of Israel’s civilians and IDF troops will continue to remain before their eyes without compromise,” it added.

Israel received a message from the US in recent weeks that “the previous authorization for unrestricted action in Lebanon had expired,” Israel’s Channel 13 quoted an unnamed senior Israeli official Monday.

The Hebrew newspaper Maariv also reported Monday that there are differences between the US and Israel over the Lebanon file.