Israel’s Ben-Gvir calls US-backed cease-fire with Hezbollah ‘grave mistake’

JERUSALEM (AA) – Far-right extremist Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called a US-backed cease-fire with Hezbollah a “grave mistake.”

In a post on his X account, Ben-Gvir said accepting the US cease-fire proposal would mean missing out on an “historic” opportunity to ‘destroy Hezbollah.’

The hardline fanatical Zionist minister urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “listen to the commanders fighting in the field… precisely now, when Hezbollah is beaten and longs for a cease-fire, it is forbidden to stop.”

“It’s not too late to stop this agreement,” Ben-Gvir said. “We must continue until absolute victory!”

Israeli opposition leader Benny Gantz also called on the government to only accept a cease-fire deal with Hezbollah if it grants Israel ‘freedom to act freely against any Lebanese group.’

“We must not return to the reality of October 6,” Gantz said in an address.

“What is clear is that any arrangement must allow the IDF (army) freedom of action, both against immediate threats and against renewed bolstering of Hezbollah.”

Israeli prime minister Netanyahu’s cabinet is dominated by right-wing hardliners who reject Palestinian nationhood and believe in Israel’s arbitrary right to Palestinian land with the use of force in violation of all law.

Israeli media reported early Monday that a cease-fire deal was expected to be announced between Israel and Hezbollah within two days.

The Israeli public broadcaster KAN, citing an Israeli source, said Netanyahu- who has persistently obstructed a cease-fire with Hamas- finally agreed to a US-backed cease-fire with Lebanon.

The report came after US envoy Amos Hochstein on Sunday threatened to withdraw from mediation efforts aimed at brokering a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Lebanon if Tel Aviv does not accept a US proposal, according to Israeli media.

Hochstein informed Israel’s ambassador to the US, Michael Herzog, that if Tel Aviv failed to respond positively to the US cease-fire proposal with Lebanon, Washington would pull out from the mediation process.

Israel has escalated its airstrikes in Lebanon against what it claims are Hezbollah targets as part of year-long warfare with the Lebanese resistance group since the start of the Gaza war last year.

More than 3,600 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Lebanon, with more than 15,300 injured and over a 1 million displaced since October last year, according to Lebanese health authorities.

In the face of global censure, Israel chose to expand the conflict by launching a ground assault into southern Lebanon on October 1 this year.