Israel’s far-right Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has rejected a proposed 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon, following intensified Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets.
The ceasefire proposal, backed by the United States, the European Union, and several Arab states, comes after heavy casualties and mass displacement in Lebanon due to Israeli strikes.
Smotrich, a prominent figure in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, firmly opposed the idea of pausing the conflict, advocating instead for the complete dismantling of Hezbollah’s military capabilities.
He emphasized that the ongoing war should not give Hezbollah time to regroup or reorganize. “The campaign in the north must end with the crushing of Hezbollah and the elimination of its ability to harm the residents of Israel,” Smotrich stated on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
He added that only Hezbollah’s surrender or total defeat would restore security to Israel’s northern region.
Meanwhile, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid offered a more cautious stance, suggesting a potential seven-day ceasefire, which would prevent Hezbollah from regaining strength.
Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah escalated after Hamas launched a major attack on Israel on October 7, with Hezbollah joining the conflict in solidarity with Hamas from Lebanon.
This week, the clashes intensified as Israeli forces carried out significant bombings in southern Lebanon, marking the deadliest violence in the region since Lebanon’s civil war.
