Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar briefed about 100 ambassadors and heads of foreign missions at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem earlier on Wednesday, where he addressed the issue of an arrangement with Lebanon and stated that "whatever agreement we reach, we will have to maintain our freedom of action."
Regarding Lebanon, the minister said: "We are in contact with the Americans regarding a possible settlement in Lebanon. From the arrival of Special Envoy Hochstein in the region, it can be concluded that the Americans believe that such an arrangement is possible. The most important thing to emphasize is that we want to reach an agreement that can stand the test of time."
"Unfortunately," claimed Foreign Minister Sa'ar, "Lebanon is a failed state. But we cannot pay the price for that in our security, in the security of our citizens, in giving up our sovereignty. Whatever agreement we reach, we will have to maintain our freedom of action if there are violations. We will have to be able to act in time, before the problem grows, because we have learned something from the enormous infrastructure that we have found on the ground in Lebanon and Gaza. After October 7, we will not let them grow again. We will not let them develop into a threat again."
According to Sa'ar: "What Hezbollah planned to do is perhaps more serious than what Hamas actually carried out. They were planning an invasion. We saw this from their preparations on the ground, invading and launching missiles and rockets simultaneously."
Regarding Iran, Sa'ar said: "I emphasize the decision of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the European Union to impose sanctions on a number of Iranian entities, including Iranian shipping lines and components used to manufacture Iranian drones and ballistic missiles. I call on the European Union and the international community to increase the pressure on Iran and designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization."
