Gantz backs talks with Lebanon and combat against Hezbollah, slams controversial Knesset bills

Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz slams the coalition for advancing controversial, partisan legislation in the middle of a war, telling reporters that “we win in Tehran and lose in Jerusalem.”

“Instead of focusing on dismantling the regime in Tehran, the Knesset is busy splitting the role of the attorney general,” he says, referring to one of the coalition’s contentious bills, ahead of his opposition party’s weekly faction meeting in the Knesset.

“Instead of only dealing with keeping Hezbollah away from the border, we are dealing with laws that will keep Jews away from the Western Wall,” he adds. “Instead of providing a solution for people living in shelters in the north, we are dealing with giving benefits to television channels that are close to the government.”

Turning to the conflict with the Hezbollah terror group in the north, Gantz says that he supports “direct negotiations with the Lebanese government but it must take place under continued military pressure on Hezbollah [and] until Hezbollah is dismantled we must continue ourselves dismantling it militarily.”

“If the Lebanese government wants to take responsibility, recognize the State of Israel, and dismantle Hezbollah, it is more than welcome,” Gantz adds.

“As someone who served 22 years in Lebanon and was the last soldier to leave the security zone by government decision, I call on the government to not evacuate a single Israeli community, but rather evacuate all of Southern Lebanon,” he adds, insisting that “if we proceed with full military determination and diplomatic wisdom normalization is achievable within months alongside security for the people of Northern Israel.”

Earlier today, the IDF announced a “targeted” ground operation in southern Lebanon.