By Elsie Kamsiyochi
Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for the annexation of southern Lebanon, proposing that the country’s new border should extend up to the Litani River, deep inside Lebanese territory.
This statement marks the most explicit suggestion yet from a senior Israeli official to seize Lebanese land in response to the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group.
The remarks come as Israel intensifies its military operations in southern Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah strongholds in the region. Israeli forces have been conducting airstrikes and bombing bridges and homes in the area, aiming to dismantle Hezbollah’s military infrastructure. Since March 2, Lebanon has been increasingly drawn into the regional war, with Hezbollah launching missile attacks on Israeli territory, which has prompted Israel to carry out extensive air and ground assaults on southern Lebanon.
Israeli authorities have ordered all residents south of the Litani River to evacuate, considering the area a Hezbollah stronghold. The airstrikes have led to significant casualties, with Lebanese officials reporting more than 1,000 deaths and over a million displaced. Despite the widespread destruction, Israel claims its actions are aimed at protecting its northern border from Hezbollah’s rocket fire.
Smotrich’s proposal to annex the Litani River area is a highly controversial one, particularly within Lebanon, which has long suffered from a cycle of invasions and occupations by Israel. The southern region was under Israeli occupation from 1982 to 2000, and Smotrich’s words are likely to stoke memories of that turbulent period.
The call for annexation is not entirely new in Israeli politics. Earlier this month, Defense Minister Israel Katz hinted at the possibility of territorial loss for Lebanon if Hezbollah does not disarm. Smotrich, who leads a far-right party in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet, has repeatedly made comments that stretch beyond the official stance of the Israeli government.
While Netanyahu’s office has yet to comment on Smotrich’s latest statements, the Israeli military continues its operations in Lebanon, focusing on ground raids targeting Hezbollah militants and their weaponry. In the Gaza Strip, Israel is also carrying out extensive demolitions of buildings, further reinforcing its territorial claims.
Internationally, Smotrich’s remarks have raised concerns, especially in Lebanon, where the government hopes that foreign powers will intervene to pressure Israel into halting its aggressive military actions. The Lebanese government has condemned Israel’s airstrikes, calling them violations of international law, particularly as they target civilian infrastructure. However, Israel justifies these strikes as necessary to protect its citizens from Hezbollah’s attacks.
As Israel’s operations in Lebanon escalate, the situation remains volatile, with no clear end in sight to the ongoing conflict. With the Litani River as a potential new border, the long-standing tensions between Israel and Lebanon appear poised to deepen further, with both sides bracing for an uncertain future.
Source Reuters
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