Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel sees a "historic opportunity" to pursue a peace agreement with Lebanon, citing dramatic changes to the regional balance of power following recent hostilities and renewed diplomatic engagement led by the United States. In video posted on X (formerly Twitter), Netanyahu said US President Donald Trump intends to invite him and the president of Lebanon for talks aimed at advancing a potential agreement.
"We have an opportunity to forge a historic peace agreement with Lebanon,” Netanyahu said. “This opportunity exists because, since the ‘War of Redemption,' we have fundamentally changed the balance of power in Lebanon," he posted on X.
Netanyahu claimed Israel had dismantled fundamentally changed the balance of power in Lebanon including what he described as a "massive arsenal of 150,000 rockets and missiles" that threatened Israeli cities. He also said Israel had eliminated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, asserting that these actions had dramatically altered conditions along the northern border.
According to the prime minister, the shift was significant enough that Israel has, for the first time in more than 40 years, received approaches from Lebanon suggesting direct peace talks. "Over the past month, we began receiving calls from Lebanon to hold direct peace talks between us," Netanyahu said. "This is something that hasn't happened in over 40 years."
Netanyahu said he agreed to what he characterised as a limited, ten-day ceasefire which he called a "timeout", to explore the possibility of an agreement. He linked these discussions to meetings held recently in Washington involving ambassadors.
Red Lines in Negotiations
Netanyahu outlined what he called two “fundamental demands” for any peace talks: the disarmament of Hezbollah and the establishment of what he described as a "sustainable peace agreement" based on deterrence. He added that Hezbollah had sought two conditions for a ceasefire: a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory to the international border, and a 'quiet for quiet' model, but said Israel had rejected both. "I agreed to neither of these, and indeed, those two conditions are not being met," he said.
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Israeli Forces to Remain in Buffer Zone
Netanyahu confirmed that Israeli forces would remain in a reinforced security buffer zone inside Lebanon, extending from the Mediterranean coast to Mount Dov and the foothills of Mount Hermon, reaching the Syrian border. "This is a security strip ten kilometers deep,” he said, describing it as more robust and continuous than previous deployments. "That is where we are and we are not leaving." He argued that the buffer zone is intended to prevent cross-border incursions and anti-tank fire on Israeli communities, saying residents near the border are now protected from those threats. Netanyahu acknowledged that Hezbollah still possesses some remaining rocket capabilities, adding that Israel would address those as part of any future security agreement.
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US Role and Iran
Netanyahu also said close coordination with Washington, saying he had spoken with Trump in recent days. Netanyahu said the US president is determined to continue a naval blockade and to pursue the dismantling of Iran's nuclear capabilities. "He is tremendously determined to continue the naval blockade and to bring about the dismantling of Iran's nuclear capability, what remains of it. He is not giving up on this. He is certain he can eliminate this threat once and for all, continuing the great things we have done together. Of course, we will also handle the missile threat and the enrichment capability. I will not elaborate, he said."
Netanyahu framed the moment as potentially transformational for Israel's security and diplomatic standing, while acknowledging continuing challenges. "These are two very important moves that can fundamentally change our security and diplomatic situation for years to come,” he said. “With G-d's help, we will act, and with G-d's help, we will succeed," he concluded.
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