Israeli politicians and residents of northern Israel have strongly condemned the US-French ceasefire proposal between Israel and Hezbollah, scheduled to begin on Thursday around midday (however there has been no official confirmation of this yet). The proposal has ignited fierce debate about the balance between immediate peace and long-term security in the region.
David Azulai, chairman of the Metula Regional Council, warned that such a ceasefire would ensure "the next October 7," for which the government would be responsible. Azulai emphasized that recent days have highlighted Hezbollah's capabilities, and insisted that the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must "remove the threat" to avoid another catastrophic attack in the future.
Echoing these concerns, Amir Sofer, chairman of the Upper Galilee Regional Council, declared, "This is a time for war!" Sofer stressed that while there is a time for negotiations, this is not it. According to Sofer, the ceasefire will only delay the return of northern residents to their homes and abandon those who have not been evacuated.
Both local leaders expressed deep concern that agreeing to a ceasefire with Hezbollah "without decisively defeating them" would not provide a safe environment for residents to return. Azulai pointed out that northern residents have been in this precarious situation for a whole year, and just as the army began fighting to bring them back home, "it seems we are again taking two steps back."
The debate has also engulfed national politics. Opposition Leader and Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid cautiously welcomed the ceasefire proposal but suggested it should be shorter. Lapid proposed that Israel accept the Biden-Macron proposal for only seven days to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its command and control systems. He emphasized that Israel should not accept any proposal that doesn't see Hezbollah driven away from Israel's northern border.
Taking a harder line, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich insisted that the Northern Arrows operation should end "with one scenario: The total destruction of Hezbollah." Smotrich warned that a 21-day ceasefire would allow Hezbollah to "recuperate and reorganize for further attacks." He stressed that the only way to return northern residents to their homes is either "Hezbollah surrenders" or war.
As the proposed ceasefire approaches, tensions remain high. The Israeli government faces significant pressure from local leaders and some politicians to reject or substantially modify the proposal, while also managing international expectations.
JPost contributed to this article.