Avigdor Lieberman
צילום: דנה שרגא, משרד הביטחון
Lieberman: IDF yet to face difficult tests
Speaking in a ceremony for IDF officers and non-commissioned officers, defense minister hints Lebanon will be held responsible for Hezbollah’s aggression, warns Israel doesn't have 'luxury of conducting a long war.'
Israel’s next military confrontation with its enemies will be of an “entirely different character,” Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Monday during a ceremony for IDF officers and non-commissioned officers.
According to Lieberman, the IDF will be forced to wage a different kind of campaign “when our enemies try to harm our civilian concentrations and civilian infrastructures.”
The Yisrael Beytenu leader went on to say that in the next round of hostilities, Israel will not have “the luxury of conducting a long war,” which he characterized as “a step forward and a step back.”
Minsiter Avigdor Lieberman (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg) (צילום: אוהד צויגנברג)
“Every confrontation will have to be conducted from the very first moment with the highest profile, putting into force the full might of the IDF,” the tough-talking minister said.
The comments came against a background of a flurry of aggressive public statements made the Lebanon-based Hezbollah terror organization’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
Cermony for IDF officers and NCOs (Photo: Defense Ministry) (צילום: דנה שרגא, משרד הביטחון)
“If there is a crossing of a red line,” Lieberman continued, “the other side must know in advance that it is going to pay the heaviest price,” a warning which he extended to the Lebanese government which is harboring Hezbollah terrorists on its soil.
“Even the sovereign power, regardless of whether it controls the territory or not; the moment hostilities are carried out from any territory, the sovereign power will be held wholly responsible,” he warned.
Cermony for IDF officers and NCOs (Photo: Defense Ministry) (צילום: דנה שרגא, משרד הביטחון)
Lieberman also told his listeners at the ceremony, attended by IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, of his gloomy outlook on the Middle East’s reality.
“Unfortunately, we live in a reality in the new Middle East, which is far worse that the old Middle East. And in this new, terrible reality we have yet to face the difficult tests,” he concluded.
