Trump to Netanyahu: Israel Must Show Restraint and Not Jeopardize the Ceasefire in Lebanon
The Prime Minister spoke with the U.S. President, who asked for restraint and continued to insist on linking Iran to Lebanon • Netanyahu updated the cabinet that Trump has taken sponsorship over the negotiations with Lebanon, and that it is important Israel not appear as if it is undermining him • Israeli source: It is right to exhaust the negotiations
Dana Weiss | N12
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the volatile situation in the north and claimed that the ceasefire agreement allows Israel to respond to threats. "Our freedom of action is to thwart immediate and emerging threats", he said. "That is the agreement we made with the United States and also with the government of Lebanon".
These remarks follow Netanyahu's conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump the day before yesterday, in which the PM tried to expand the IDF's freedom of action and explain that Israel cannot show restraint in the face of attacks on soldiers and fire on communities along the northern border. However, Trump insisted that Israel must show restraint and not take actions that could, for the time being, jeopardize the ceasefire.
Netanyahu updated the security cabinet on the details of the conversation, and on the understanding that from Trump's perspective - Lebanon and Iran are linked to one another. Trump still wants to see that he can exhaust the negotiations with Iran, but beyond that, also take sponsorship over the negotiations between Israel and Lebanon - in the hope that the Abraham Accords can be expanded there. Netanyahu understands this and explains that Israel cannot appear as if it is jeopardizing the move upon which Trump has staked all of his prestige.
However, beyond the hawkish declarations heard publicly, such as those of the PM himself and of Defense Minister Israel Katz yesterday, Israel also understands that the negotiations with Lebanon are fundamentally a good move - one that could very well lead to Lebanese recognition of Israel. According to an Israeli source, Lebanese recognition of Israel puts significant pressure on Hezbollah.
At the same time, Israel demanded that the Lebanese government at least make a greater effort to act on the ground. However, the Israeli source clarified: "The situation is very complex and it is hard to see Hezbollah restrained by the weak Lebanese army".
The timeline, then, is Trump's - he views things differently and wants to exhaust the move vis-à-vis Iran. Even if the negotiations with Lebanon advance, the assessment in Israel is that the volatile situation in the north could continue for many more days.