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To Avoid Gaza's Fate.. Netanyahu Calls on Lebanese to "Liberate Their Country" from Hezbollah
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Netanyahu's threatening rhetoric towards Lebanon reflects a dangerous escalation in Israel's tone, raising fears of expanding conflict in the region and its transformation into a full-scale war threat
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sparked a storm of international and regional reactions following unprecedented threats to Lebanon. In a televised speech on Tuesday, Netanyahu warned the Lebanese people of facing "destruction and suffering" similar to what Gaza is witnessing, unless the country is "liberated" from Hezbollah's control.
Netanyahu addressed the Lebanese: "You have a chance to save Lebanon before it falls into the abyss of a long-term war that will lead to destruction and suffering similar to what we see in Gaza." He added, "I tell you, people of Lebanon, liberate your country from Hezbollah so that this war can stop."
This escalation in Israeli rhetoric was met with swift international condemnation. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot denounced what he described as "provocation" from Netanyahu. Barrot told France 2 channel that "the situation in Lebanon is catastrophic," warning that pursuing this approach could plunge Lebanon, which he described as "France's friendly country," into chaos.
In a dramatic development, Netanyahu confirmed that Israeli forces have eliminated prominent Hezbollah leaders, including those he described as "Nasrallah's replacement and the replacement's replacement."
These statements come in the wake of previous speculations by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant about the possible killing of Hashim Safi al-Din, who was seen as a potential successor to Hezbollah's Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah.
Netanyahu emphasized in his speech that "Hezbollah is weaker today than it has been for many years," calling on the Lebanese people to "reclaim their country" and return it to a path of peace and prosperity. He warned that if no action is taken, Hezbollah will "continue its attempts to fight Israel from densely populated areas," which could drag Lebanon into a wider war.
Levant-Agencies
