Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu calls on Lebanese people to reclaim their country from Hezbollah
In a video address, he said, “Do you remember when your country was called the pearl of the Middle East? I do. So, what happened to Lebanon?"
PTC Web Desk: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a direct appeal to the people of Lebanon amidst the ongoing conflict with the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. Referring to Lebanon as “once the pearl of the Middle East, known for its tolerance and beauty,” Netanyahu urged Lebanese citizens to reclaim their nation, which he accused Hezbollah of turning into “a stockpile of ammunition and a forward Iranian military base.”
Benjamin Netanyahu's message on Tuesday followed Israel's expanded ground operations in southern Lebanon, where additional troops were deployed to conduct “limited, localised, targeted operational activities” under the Jewish nation's 'Operation Northern Arrows' against Hezbollah. In a video address, he asked, “Do you remember when your country was called the pearl of the Middle East? I do. So, what happened to Lebanon? A gang of tyrants and terrorists destroyed it. That’s what happened.”
He said that Lebanon, once known for its “tolerance and beauty,” has become “a place of chaos, a place of war.” Netanyahu warned the Lebanese people to act swiftly to save their country from “falling into the abyss of a long war that will bring destruction and suffering, like what we see in Gaza. It doesn’t have to be that way.”
He said the Lebanese people faced a crucial decision, urging them to “take back your country” and restore peace and prosperity. Otherwise, he cautioned, Hezbollah would continue its attacks on Israel from densely populated Lebanese areas, disregarding the potential consequences of a wider war.
Reiterating his commitment to eliminating Hezbollah, Netanyahu claimed that Israel has already killed thousands of its militants, including former leader Hassan Nasrallah and his potential successors. He emphasised Israel’s right to defend itself, declaring, “Israel also has a right to win! And Israel will win.”
Despite Israel’s steady advances and continuous strikes on Lebanon over the past three weeks, which have resulted in over 1,400 casualties and displaced 1.2 million people, Hezbollah has remained defiant. Earlier on Tuesday, Naim Qassem, the former deputy of Nasrallah, stated that the group had withstood Israel’s “painful blows” and insisted that their capabilities remain intact.