Trump announces Lebanon ceasefire, and Israelis vent anger at government
| Tel Aviv, Israel
Even as many people in Lebanon celebrated Thursday鈥檚 announcement from U.S. President Donald Trump of a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah, outrage erupted across Israel, especially in the country鈥檚 north.
Residents of northern communities, which are close to the border with Lebanon, and national opposition leaders have expressed anger that Israel鈥檚 government had once again accepted a truce that is seen as externally imposed. They say this temporary ceasefire deal is similar to arrangements involving Iran earlier this month and Hamas last year, in that none of them was shaped by a clear Israeli government strategy.
Municipal leaders in the north say they feel betrayed, arguing that the ceasefire leaves the Iran-backed Hezbollah armed and posing a continued threat that could lead to Israel 鈥渓osing the north.鈥�
Why We Wrote This
The ceasefire in Lebanon left northern Israeli residents saying they felt betrayed, and that Hezbollah was still a threat. Opposition leaders blamed the Netanyahu government for the lack of a clear strategy that meant decisions were taken out of Israel鈥檚 hands.
Hezbollah had opposed the first direct talks in decades between Israel and the Lebanese government, which took place in Washington on Tuesday, and had vowed it would not abide by any agreements. Nevertheless, the ceasefire appeared to be holding as of Friday.
Israelis and Cabinet ministers first learned of the ceasefire from Mr. Trump鈥檚 statement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly convened an urgent teleconference with ministers only afterward, to discuss the development.
According to Israeli news reports, ministers questioned how such a move could be declared without their approval.
Days before the ceasefire was announced, a poll by the Israel Democracy Institute showed that 80% of Jewish Israeli respondents supported continuing the fight against Hezbollah, regardless of developments with Iran, even at the risk of creating friction with the United States.
Following Mr. Trump鈥檚 announcement, and in the hours before the ceasefire took effect at midnight local time, exchanges of fire continued between Hezbollah and the Israel Defense Forces.
In a statement late Thursday that sought to deflect criticism, Mr. Netanyahu said Israel now had an opportunity to pursue a 鈥渉istoric peace agreement鈥� with Lebanon.
He pointed to military achievements against Hezbollah, some dating back to the fall of 2024, including the destruction of a stockpile of some 150,000 rockets and missiles and the elimination of the group鈥檚 top leaders. Israel, he said, would stand firm on its demands in its negotiations with the Lebanese government, including the disarmament of Hezbollah and reaching a 鈥渟ustainable peace agreement.鈥�
At the same time, Israel would maintain its military presence inside southern Lebanon within an expanded security zone established by the IDF.
鈥淚t is a security zone 10 kilometers wide, much stronger, more powerful, more continuous, and more solid than what we had before,鈥� the prime minister said. 鈥淭hat is where we are; we are not leaving.鈥� This will allow Israel to protect its northern communities from terrorist infiltrations and help prevent anti-tank fire that has been used against Israeli border outposts and communities, Mr. Netanyahu said.
More than 1.2 million people in Lebanon have been displaced by the Israel-Hezbollah fighting that erupted at the start of the war in Iran.
Mr. Trump said he would be inviting Mr. Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to the White House for negotiations on a permanent peace deal. On Friday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that disarming Hezbollah continues to be an aim, and that Israel would now be able to use 鈥渟ignificant political leverage鈥� backed by Mr. Trump to pressure the Lebanese government on the matter.
Among the criticisms voiced by northern Israeli leaders, David Azulai, head of the Metula Council and a member of the opposition Yisrael Beiteinu party, said the ceasefire with Lebanon makes 鈥渃itizens of the north feel betrayed once again.鈥� Mr. Netanyahu, he said, has failed to bring security to northern residents.
Eitan Davidi, chairman of Moshav Margaliot, a collective village in the north, said in an interview with Israeli news outlet Channel 12 that the ceasefire was a 鈥渄isgrace鈥� and a complete 鈥渟urrender鈥� to the demands of Iran and the U.S.
Opposition leaders said the lack of a coherent strategy allowed Israel to be drawn into dictated arrangements.
鈥淣ot for the first time, all the promises of this government are crashing against the ground of reality,鈥� opposition leader Yair Lapid .
鈥淚n two and a half years of war, a pattern has developed in which ceasefires are imposed upon us 鈥� in Gaza, in Iran, and now in Lebanon,鈥� wrote former IDF chief of staff and Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot. 鈥淣etanyahu does not know how to convert military achievements into diplomatic gains.鈥�
鈥淭he ceasefire agreement is a step in the right direction,鈥� Yair Golan, the leader of the Democrats party and a reserve major general in the army, posted on X. 鈥淏ut the truth must be told: Instead of leading, the Israeli government is once again being dragged along.鈥�
