Israel's US envoy Leiter: Lebanon deal ties IDF withdrawal to Hezbollah disarmament

Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter said on Thursday that the U.S.-backed agreement with Lebanon is centered on disarming Hezbollah rather than setting a fixed timetable for an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

“The focus of the agreement is the dismantling of Hezbollah, not Israel’s withdrawal,” Leiter said in an interview on the Jewish People Policy Institute’s podcast.

Leiter, who led the Israeli delegation in talks with Lebanese officials in Washington, said the trilateral agreement ties any potential Israeli military withdrawal from Lebanon to the disarmament of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist group. He stressed that Israeli forces would remain in southern Lebanon until the Lebanese armed forces demonstrate both the capability and the willingness to disarm Hezbollah and assume responsibility for security in areas under their formal control.

The Israeli envoy reiterated that the IDF would remain in the established security zone in southern Lebanon until the Lebanese military has regained full control of the area south of the Litani River and all Hezbollah forces there have been disarmed.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who visited Israeli forces in southern Lebanon earlier this week, also vowed that an Israeli presence would remain in Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed.

“There were 150,000 missiles and rockets, the highest density of missiles and rockets on planet Earth. Today, they have about 8% left,” Netanyahu said. He added that the Israeli military would not withdraw from Lebanon “as long as Hezbollah is armed and present here, posing a threat to us.”

Hezbollah and Iran have condemned the Lebanon deal, while Hezbollah has rejected calls to disarm and vowed to continue attacking Israel.

During the interview, Leiter also addressed his recent public criticism of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir after the minister published a video showing detained anti-Israel Gaza flotilla activists.

“If I identify something that severely harms Israel’s standing, embarrasses Israel, and gives credibility to our worst enemies, I will speak,” Leiter said, referring to Ben Gvir’s conduct.

Leiter, who is considered close to Netanyahu, also criticized several controversial remarks made by Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, saying that “things that should not be said, should not be said.”

He also condemned comments by Minister May Golan about Reform Jews, saying that while he represents the Israeli government in Washington, he also represents Israel before the American Jewish community.