Israel Katz has rejected comments by Donald Trump suggesting Israel would withdraw its forces from Lebanon, insisting the country will maintain its military presence until it believes the threat from Hezbollah has been eliminated.
According to The Times of Israel, Katz said Israel’s military decisions would not depend on external approval.
“We didn’t ask for anyone’s approval to enter Lebanon, and we don’t need approval to stay in Lebanon,” Katz said.
He argued that Israel’s continued presence in southern Lebanon is necessary to protect communities in northern Israel from potential Hezbollah attacks, describing it as the government’s “right and duty” to defend its citizens.
Katz added that the military would continue operating from what he described as a security zone in Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed across the country and the threat to northern Israeli communities is removed. His remarks came a day after Trump said he believed Israel would eventually withdraw its forces from Lebanon.
