IDF Chief of Staff LTC Herzi Halevi told reserve commanders on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon to prepare for war with Hezbollah, vowing not to return the residents of northern Israeli communities unless they can assure a “very high” level of security.
The IDF Chief of Staff was joined by MG Ori Gordin — commanding officer of the IDF’s Northern Command — and 91st Galilee Division commanding officer BG Shay Kalper in the situation assessment and discussion, after which he toured the city of Metula and met with the heads of the local authorities in the north.
“I want you to know one thing: we are not finishing this without returning the residents to Metula and all the communities in the north, with a very high level of security,” Halevi said.
“Now you ask me how this will happen?
“We are in uniform, as you are too. When you go home, the mission is to think ‘readiness for war’. This is our first task; no one disagrees with us and we are now focusing on being prepared for war in the north,” Halevi warned.
“This discussion between us and the local leadership here is a very, very important discourse, which is why I’m telling you telling you in the end we will be ready for war.
“If it doesn’t end in war, it [also] won’t end in a compromise on the achievements [with] ‘Hezbollah not on the fence'” he said.
The remark was a pointed reference to the recent attempt by France to convince Israel to accept a compromise deal distancing the Iranian terrorist proxy just 10 kilometers (six miles) from Israel’s border. This, rather than enforcing the 2006 United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 that ended the Second Lebanon War with a promise to keep Hezbollah double that distance from Israel’s border with Lebanon — beyond the Litani River, 20 kilometers (12 miles) away.
“We will push back all the capabilities; it will be much quieter here,” Halevi said. “There will be much more stability here and then we will say to the residents ‘You can return’.
“Is it happening tomorrow? Probably not. It will take some time. I think from my discussions with the leadership that the residents also prefer (it to take) a little more time, but to reach a good result,” he hadded.
