Calls on the Lebanese people to reject Hezbollah and to open the road to peace, security and stability in the Middle East region.
In a particularly sharp and politically charged intervention that intensifies the discussion surrounding developments in the Middle East, Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a message to the people of Lebanon, attempting to clearly separate the country’s government and population from Hezbollah. The Israeli prime minister argued that the Israeli organization acts as an agent of destabilizing and limiting Lebanon’s national sovereignty, calling on citizens to take the initiative for a different political and strategic future. The message is in the broader context of the ongoing tension on the northern border of Israel and highlights the rhetorical escalation between the two sides, against the backdrop of regional balances and Iran’s role in the region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today appealed to the Lebanese to join forces with Israel in the combat against Hezbollah, stressing how their country is “hostage” to the Shiite movement backed by Iran.
The Message
“Israel is not at war with you. We are at war with Hezbollah, which is holding your country hostage,” Netanyahu said in a video message in English. “We long for peace with you, with Lebanon,” he added.
“Take the future in your hands,” Netanyahu urged Lebanese. “Let us build security and prosperity for all our children,” the Israeli prime minister continued, assuring that “once Hezbollah is dislodged, the prospects will be limitless.”
