Smotrich unveils plan to sell land near Lebanon border to ‘reinforce' northern Israel
The initiative, developed in coordination with Minister of Settlements and National Missions Orit Strock — a prominent figure in the settler movement and a member of Smotrich's Religious Zionism party — was unveiled during a conference titled 'Strengthening the North,' Israeli Channel 12 reported.
Smotrich also praised the terms of the cease-fire agreement with Lebanon that came into effect on Nov. 27, 2024, and insisted that Israel 'will not withdraw from the [five] positions it occupies on Lebanese territory.'
He said the government would offer 'serviced land, ready to build on, in the north of the country' for just 100,000 shekels (around $27,000), adding that military reservists would be eligible to buy the plots for only 50,000 shekels (around $14,800). He described the deal as 'an offer you can't refuse.'
'The state (of Israel) needs you,' he said, as northern Israel continues to recover from the nearly 13-month war with Hezbollah that began on Oct. 8, 2023, and ended with a fragile truce on Nov. 27, 2024. The terms of that cease-fire remain under negotiation and have been consistently violated by Israel.
Despite Hezbollah's military losses and the ongoing cease-fire, many residents of northern Israel have yet to return to their homes. 'They talk to us about returning, but there's nowhere to return to,' said David Azoulay, head of the Metula municipal council — Israel's northernmost town — in early March. Some 2,900 buildings were damaged in Israel during the fighting, according to a February estimate by former Housing Minister Ze'ev Elkin.
'Even Khamenei has lost hope in Hezbollah'
Smotrich said there is now 'a real possibility that Hezbollah could be totally disarmed,' and claimed that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had 'lost hope' in the party and is now 'completely indifferent as to whether it is rebuilt or not.'
While U.S. envoy Tom Barrack has raised the prospect of a new agreement between Lebanon and Israel during recent visits to Beirut, Smotrich defended the current deal, calling it 'a good agreement.' He argued that it gives Israel 'full legitimacy to effectively prevent Hezbollah from reorganizing at the border.'
Despite the cease-fire, Israel has continued near-daily strikes on southern Lebanon, increased incursions along the border, and killed at least 285 people — both militants and civilians — since the truce began, according to a tally by the United Nations and L'Orient-Le Jour.
Israel also continues to occupy five positions on Lebanese territory, located on elevated ground near the border. Smotrich reaffirmed that the country 'will not withdraw' from those areas, despite cease-fire terms calling for a full Israeli pullout from Lebanese land.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Ya Libnan
2 hours ago
- Ya Libnan
President Aoun steps up calls on Hezbollah to disarm
By Laila Bassam BEIRUT – Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stepped up his calls for Hezbollah to disarm on Thursday, suggesting failure to do so would give Israel an excuse to continue attacks and saying the issue would be on the agenda of a cabinet meeting next week. The comments reflect mounting pressure over the issue of Hezbollah's arms, which has loomed over Lebanon since the Iran-aligned group was pummeled in a war with Israel last year. Washington wants Hezbollah disarmed – a demand echoed by the Beirut government as it aims to establish a monopoly on weapons. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem, who fled to Tehran last October said in a televised speech on Wednesday that calls for its disarmament served only Israel. In a speech to army officers, Aoun said the government would next week discuss Lebanon's amendments to a U.S. roadmap to disarm Hezbollah, deemed a terrorist group by Washington. Lebanon's counter proposal demands an immediate halt to Israel's attacks, its withdrawal from positions held in the south, the establishment of state control over all Lebanon and the disarmament of armed groups including Hezbollah, he said. Aoun urged all parties 'to seize this historic opportunity … and push for the exclusivity of weapons in the hands of the army and security forces'. He said the government would set a timeframe to implement the steps. Shi'ite Muslim Hezbollah, backed by Tehran, was the only Lebanese group allowed to keep its weapons at the end of the 1975-90 civil war on the grounds it needed them to fight Israeli troops who occupied the south but withdrew in 2000. Hezbollah's arsenal has long divided Lebanese, with critics saying it has undermined the state and dragged Lebanon into conflicts. Washington has been pushing Lebanon to commit to disarming Hezbollah before talks can resume on halting Israeli military operations, Reuters reported earlier this week . Hezbollah has so far refused, though the group has been considering scaling back its arsenal . 'PRETEXTS FOR AGGRESSION' Addressing Hezbollah and its followers but without naming them, Aoun called on those who 'have faced the aggression' to 'rely solely on the Lebanese state'. 'You are too honorable to risk the state-building project, and too noble to provide pretexts for an aggression that wants to continue the war against us,' he said. Israel killed many Hezbollah commanders and thousands of its fighters last year, while also destr oying much of its arsenal. The U.S. proposal delivered in June would require Hezbollah to disarm within four months in exchange for the withdrawal of Israeli troops occupying several posts in south Lebanon, and a halt to Israeli air strikes. Hezbollah had already relinquished a number of weapons depots in southern Lebanon to the Lebanese army in line with a U.S.-brokered truce designed to end last year's war. Aoun said the proposals to be discussed next week include seeking $1 billion annually for 10 years to support the army and the security forces and plans for an international conference to later in the year to support reconstruction efforts. Upates Aoun has a point about the consequences that Lebanon could face if Hezbollah doesn't disarm : On Thursday Israel's defense minister Israel Katz said Hezbollah 'was working to restore its capabilities' in the sites that were targeted in south Lebanon. Katz also said the warplanes that attacked the Eastern Mountain Range in the Bekaa targeted Hezbollah's 'biggest precision missile production plant' in the country. Three Israeli airstrikestargeted Brital's outskirts, a strike targeted al-Nasriyeh's outskirts while eight strikes have targeted the heights of the southern towns of al-Aishiyeh, al-Mahmoudiyeh and al-Jarmaq. In another development Al-Arabiya reported that the Beirut airport has imposed strict inspection measures to prevent the smuggling of any funds. Hezbollah has been using the airport for smuggling cash from Iran and neighboring counties like Iraq and Turkey Al-Arabiya quoted diplomatic sources as saying : 'All Lebanese areas, including Beirut, will face the threat of bombardment if Hezbollah refuses to hand over its arms to the Lebanese army Al-Arabiya also quoted diplomatic sources as saying : Lebanon risks being put on the black list and will be facing economic pressure if Hezbollah does not disarm arms. President Aoun met in Baabda with U.S. Central Command chief Michael Kurilla and discussed with him the cooperation and ties between the Lebanese and U.S. armies Hezbollah's arms have become a huge burden for Lebanon and its Shiite community which suffered the most during the past 2 wars due to Hezbollah's miscalculations and inability to match Israeli military power. Tens of thousands of Shiite homes were destroyed and hundreds of thousands were displaced . No country in the world is willing to help Lebanon in reconstructing these homes unless Hezbollah disarms Reuters
Nahar Net
2 hours ago
- Nahar Net
Aoun discusses military cooperation with senior US general
by Naharnet Newsdesk 31 July 2025, 17:55 President Joseph Aoun met Thursday in Baabda with U.S. Central Command chief General Michael Kurilla, who was accompanied by a U.S. military delegation and U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson. A Presidency statement said the talks tackled 'the ongoing cooperation between the Lebanese Army and the U.S. army and means to develop it in all fields.' 'Discussions also addressed the situation in the South, with Kurilla lauding what the Lebanese Army has so far achieved after its deployment in most southern towns and villages, pending the continuation of its deployment after the Israeli enemy forces withdraw from the Lebanese territory they are occupying,' the statement added. It said the talks also tackled 'President Aoun's firm stances on the monopolization of arms and the domestic and foreign responses to them.' 'The president stressed the need for boosting U.S. support for the Lebanese Army, which alone reflects the will of the Lebanese to see their country free, sovereign and independent. The talks also addressed the situation in Syria and the development of relations between the two neighborly countries,' the statement added.
Nahar Net
2 hours ago
- Nahar Net
No fuel, no wheat and bombs all over if Lebanon keeps Hezbollah arms, report warns
The threats against Lebanon due to failing to hand over Hezbollah's arms will not be limited to military action, Al-Arabiya's Al-Hadath channel quoted unnamed diplomatic sources as saying Thursday. 'Lebanon risks being put on the (Financial Action Task Force's) black list and facing economic pressure due to Hezbollah's arms,' the sources said. 'Lebanon risks being prevented from importing fuel and wheat and facing restrictions on financial transfers due to Hezbollah's arms,' the sources warned. 'All Lebanese areas, including Beirut, will face the threat of bombardment if Hezbollah refuses to hand over its arms,' the unnamed diplomatic sources cautioned. Earlier in the day, President Joseph Aoun said that Lebanon is determined to disarm Hezbollah, a step it has come under heavy U.S. pressure to take, with the Iran-backed group insisting that doing so would serve Israeli goals. In a key speech marking Army Day on Thursday, Aoun said Lebanon was demanding "the extension of the Lebanese state's authority over all its territory, the removal of weapons from all armed groups including Hezbollah and their handover to the Lebanese Army." He added it was every politician's duty "to seize this historic opportunity and push without hesitation towards affirming the army and security forces' monopoly on weapons over all Lebanese territory... in order to regain the world's confidence." On Wednesday, Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem had said that "anyone calling today for the surrender of weapons, whether internally or externally, on the Arab or the international stage, is serving the Israeli project." He accused U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, who has visited Lebanon several times in recent months for talks with senior officials, of using "intimidation and threats" with the aim of "aiding Israel." Lebanon has proposed modifications to "ideas" submitted by the United States on Hezbollah's disarmament, Aoun added, and a plan would be discussed at a cabinet meeting next week to "establish a timetable for implementation." Aoun also demanded the withdrawal of Israeli troops, the release of Lebanese prisoners and "an immediate cessation of Israeli hostilities."
