Israel offers peace from northern border but demands security, sovereignty, and freedom from terror.
President Isaac Herzog toured northern Israel on Wednesday and delivered a direct message to Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and the people of Lebanon, calling for peace while warning against Iranian and Hezbollah domination.
Speaking in Arabic from Israel’s northern border, Herzog said he was extending a hand of peace to Lebanon and its people. He stressed, however, that Lebanon must remain independent, sovereign, and free from the influence of Iran, Hezbollah, and terrorist organizations.
Herzog said his dream of visiting Beirut remains alive, but only if Lebanon’s future is decided in Beirut and not in Tehran.
Switching to English, the President reminded Lebanon and the international community that Hezbollah violated the 2006 UN Security Council resolution and later breached the 2024 ceasefire agreement. He made clear that Israel cannot accept attacks on its citizens, cross-border aggression, or terrorism from Lebanese territory.
Herzog emphasized that Israel has the full right to defend itself and said progress will remain impossible without a clear arrangement that guarantees Israeli security.
His message was both hopeful and firm: peace with Lebanon is possible, but only when Hezbollah’s grip is broken, Iranian influence is rejected, and Lebanon chooses sovereignty over terror.
