From Politicians across spectrum praise assassination of Nasrallah
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Politicians across the spectrum welcome the death of long-time Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah following a massive Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Friday, with hardline members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet calling on the premier to continue pounding the terror group.
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana tweets a photo of the dead terror leader along with a threat.
“Whoever goes his way will reach his place,” he writes in Persian.
و هر که برود راه او، میرسد به جای او pic.twitter.com/fJb8YJx0qa
— Amir Ohana – אמיר אוחנה (@AmirOhana) September 28, 2024
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir praises Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and other cabinet officials for making the “important decision” to take out Nasrallah, saying that it is now the time to continue to “dismantle” Hezbollah in order to “remove the threat from the State of Israel” and allow residents of the north to return home.
Culture and Sport Minister Miki Zohar states that the strike on Hezbollah’s underground headquarters in the Lebanese capital restored Israeli “national honor” and “deterrence,” and that “with God’s help we will continue to do everything to defeat all our enemies and to return our hostages home.”
Like Ben Gvir, Zohar also expresses gratitude toward Netanyahu, Gallant, and the security services.
Calling Nasrallah “one of the greatest oppressors of the people of Israel,” Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi says that his elimination constitutes “a holiday” and “a new chapter written in the Book of Chronicles of the People of Israel.”
“This is a time that unites the hearts of the citizens of Israel with the hope and aspiration to win on all fronts, to return our hostages, and to bring our people a new reality of security and strength,” he declares.
“The elimination of Nasrallah and Hezbollah’s chain of command is a regional watershed moment” which has opened opportunities for Israel, says Benny Gantz, leader of the opposition National Unity party.
“We must continue proactively defending ourselves in face of our enemies, and work together with our international partners,” he says.
“Yes, all your enemies will perish, O Lord,” tweets Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, calling to “to continue with all our might and crush all of Hezbollah, its fighters, its infrastructure, and its military capabilities.”
“God willing, we will end this long war in Israel when all the citizens of Israel no longer face a threat from either the north or the south,” he states.
Negev, Galilee and National Resilience Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf praises Netanyahu for the strike that killed Nasrallah and declares that Israel will not let up the pressure on its enemies.
“We will not rest or be silent, we will continue to eliminate terrorism in Gaza, in Judea and Samaria and in Lebanon and we will not let up until victory and the return of the hostages, God willing,” he says.
The Democrats MK Merav Michaeli likewise welcomes the strike but calls on Israelis “not to get confused.”
“The elimination of commanders, however senior they may be, does not change the simple fact – we are still in a war without an exit point, and our hostages are still in captivity,” she says — calling on Israel to “leverage the advantage that the IDF obtained for us for a political settlement that will return the hostages and help strengthen the moderates and isolate Iran.”
“This is the only thing that will guarantee the security of the State of Israel,” she says.
Meanwhile, Justice Minister Yariv Levin says that “the events of the last few days have restored pride, strength and deterrence to the State of Israel,” after a year of difficult moments.
“I have no doubt that under the determined leadership of Prime Minister Netanyahu we will bring security to Israel through strength,” he adds.
Gideon Sa’ar, the leader of the hawkish opposition New Hope party also congratulates the government for its actions and calls on it to “continue with all our might in eroding Hezbollah’s capabilities in all of Lebanon and in destroying the organization’s infrastructure near the border.”
