Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appealed directly to the Lebanese people on Wednesday, saying Israel is fighting Hezbollah rather than Lebanon and urging citizens to envision a future of peace and cooperation once the Iranian-backed group is dismantled.
The message came as indirect contacts between Israel and the Lebanese government continued and fighting persisted between Israeli forces and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
“Israel is not at war with you,” Netanyahu said in a video address aimed at Lebanese citizens. “We’re at war with Hezbollah, which has taken your country hostage, does Iran’s bidding and uses your territory to launch terrorist attacks against Israel.”
Netanyahu accused Hezbollah and Iran of destroying Lebanon’s former prosperity and stability, recalling what he described as a time before the group's rise to power. “Remember the cafés? Remember the culture? Remember the calm?” he said. “All that's gone because Hezbollah and Iran want to drag us into war over and over again.”
The Israeli leader said Hezbollah had been significantly weakened by the conflict and claimed Israel had killed nearly 10,000 Hezbollah fighters. He said Israeli forces were continuing operations to remove Hezbollah infrastructure and terrorists from southern Lebanon.
“Hezbollah is weaker than ever. Israel is stronger than ever,” Netanyahu said. “We're systematically clearing out South Lebanon of these fanatics. No matter where they are, we'll find them.”
Netanyahu said Israel sought peace with Lebanon and described a future in which the two countries could cooperate economically and invest together. “The only impediment to this beautiful vision is Hezbollah,” he said. “They want war, not peace. They want death, not life.”
Calling on Lebanese citizens to “seize your future,” Netanyahu said the opportunities for both countries would be “endless” once Hezbollah is dismantled.
Israel and Lebanon do not have diplomatic relations and technically remain in a state of war. Hezbollah, a powerful Shiite terrorist group backed by Iran, has long portrayed itself as a resistance movement against Israel and maintains significant political and military influence inside Lebanon.