Israeli Officials Start Rebuking Israel-Hezbollah Truce; How Long Will the Agreement Last?

Less than a day after Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire, several Israeli officials feel betrayed and are already discarding the agreement.

Benny Gantz, a former member of Israel’s war cabinet and current opposition leader, was quick to criticize the proposed agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, taking to X (formerly Twitter) to argue that “we cannot afford to do this halfway.”

“Withdrawing troops at this point will create a situation that will complicate our position while making it easier for Hezbollah to regroup,” he warned,

Avi Dichter, the Israeli agriculture minister and a member of the ruling Likud party, also voiced concerns regarding the agreement, stating he would not endorse a deal that merely replicated a UN Security Council resolution, according to The Times of Israel.

Nitzan Peleg, the mayor of a town near the Lebanese border, described the deal as a “surrender agreement” in an interview with The Independent. He called it “extremely problematic” and “premature.”

“As long as Hezbollah continues to launch missiles at Israel, there is no room for negotiations. We must crush them,” Peleg emphasized. He insisted that he would only support an agreement that included the establishment of a buffer zone inside Lebanon, where Lebanese civilians would be barred from returning.

Avichai Stern, the mayor of Kiryat Shmona, expressed his disapproval in a blunt statement, saying, “Has everyone lost their minds?” His town, just over a kilometer from the Lebanese border, has been almost entirely evacuated. Stern argued that the agreement would bring the threat from the October 7 attack closer to northern Israel. “We went from seeking a complete victory to surrender. Why not finish what we started?” he questioned.

What does the deal include?

The proposed deal, as reported by Israeli media, includes a mutual ceasefire and the temporary stationing of Israeli forces in southern Lebanon for up to 60 days. After this period, the Lebanese military would assume control, and residents of southern Lebanon would be allowed to return to their homes. Additionally, around 60,000 evacuees in Israel would also be able to return to their communities.

The implementation of the agreement would be overseen by an international body led by the US, with France also involved. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz reassured northern Israeli residents, vowing on Tuesday that there would be “zero tolerance” for violations and promising strict enforcement mechanisms to prevent weapons smuggling to Hezbollah.

Despite Katz’s assurances, fears remain high in northern Israel. Peleg, who oversees multiple regional councils and local authorities, pointed out that he believes half of southern Lebanon’s population has ties to Hezbollah. “We need a few kilometers completely clear of any Lebanese civilians. A buffer zone is essential between southern Lebanon and Israel. Anyone who enters it should be shot,” he declared without hesitation. He also expressed a lack of trust in the UN and France’s involvement in overseeing the deal.