Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has voiced strong opposition to global calls for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, describing such proposals as unreasonable and misaligned with the reality on the ground.
In a statement shared on his verified Twitter account, Bennett criticized the international community for seeking a truce after Hezbollah’s year-long barrage of rocket attacks on Israel.
“The world is now pushing for a ceasefire with Hezbollah. It just doesn’t work that way,” Bennett stated, emphasizing the persistent threat that Hezbollah has posed to Israeli civilians. He highlighted that for the past year, Hezbollah has launched thousands of rockets at Israel without any legitimate reason, causing death and destruction. “Hezbollah murdered dozens of Israelis, including 12 children playing soccer,” he added, underscoring the human toll of the conflict.
Bennett further noted that Hezbollah’s actions have forced 70,000 Israelis to become refugees within their own country. Despite this, he pointed out that Israel had only recently responded with full force to neutralize the militant threat posed by Hezbollah. “Finally (and belatedly) Israel responds and is destroying Hezbollah,” Bennett remarked, pointing out the irony of the timing of the international push for peace.
The former Prime Minister expressed frustration at what he sees as global hypocrisy, asking why the world remained largely silent while Hezbollah conducted attacks, but is now rushing to halt Israel’s defensive measures. “That’s the very definition of Chuzpa,” he said, a Hebrew term meaning audacity or nerve.
Bennett concluded his statement by affirming Israel’s right to defend itself, calling for the complete removal of Hezbollah as a threat. He insisted that Hezbollah could stop the violence by laying down its arms, demilitarizing, and moving 15 kilometers away from Israel’s border.