ALBAWABA - Israel Katz, the country's recently appointed defense minister, made a forceful speech today, stating that Israel has to do more than just negotiate a truce with Lebanon. For long-term security, Katz said, "a fundamental restructuring of Lebanon's political landscape" is necessary.
"We have defeated Hezbollah, and our responsibility now is to transform the security situation in Lebanon," Katz said during his inauguration. In order to change the dynamics along the Lebanese front, we must take advantage of this momentum.
Speaking on Gaza, Katz emphasized that Israel will not accept any ceasefire without the release of its prisoners, saying, "We made it clear to all those advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza that it will not proceed without freeing the hostages."
Katz said, "We maintained international support and resisted the calls for a premature ceasefire." He characterized the last year as a tough fight against terrorism. Strategically, he said, both Hezbollah and Hamas have been undermined, and "it’s now time to capitalize on these victories."
Katz also described Israel's overarching goals, stating that thwarting Iran's nuclear aspirations must be the country's top security priority. He said, "Preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon will be a guiding principle across all fronts."
In a separate diplomatic attempt, UN humanitarian envoy Sigrid Kaag met with Defense Minister Katz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to talk about humanitarian issues and developments in the Gaza Strip.
