Israeli main opposition leader Yair Golan said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "strategic failure" left the country without the ability to mobilize the US and Europe.
In a post on his X social media account, Golan evaluated the framework agreement signed between Tel Aviv and Beirut. Golan, who served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Israeli army from 2014 to 2017, stressed that Hezbollah will not lay down its arms except on paper.
Call for international mechanism
Golan said, "Nothing will change unless an effective international force with real enforcement authority is established" and claimed that establishing such a mechanism is not possible for Israel under Netanyahu.
The opposition leader stated, "Under Netanyahu, Israel has lost the leadership capacity to direct the US, Europe and moderate countries toward a common course of action. The country has lost its trust, influence and strategic alliances."
"Military successes did not turn into political solution"
Accusing the Netanyahu government of failing to convert military gains into long-term political security, Golan said, "This agreement is a new chapter of failure. It will not disarm Hezbollah, nor will it eliminate the threat in the north or provide real security."
Arguing that the framework agreement is essentially "election propaganda and marketing of fake political success," Golan said the Lebanese government is incapable of disarming Hezbollah. "If the Lebanese government could have done this, it would have done it long ago and would not have waited for an agreement with Israel," he commented.
Agreement and reactions
The framework agreement signed between Beirut and Tel Aviv on Friday evening envisions a "gradual" withdrawal of Israel from all Lebanese territories. In the first phase, withdrawal will take place from two pilot areas not yet determined.
While Lebanese officials described the agreement as a "first step" toward re-establishing state sovereignty, Hezbollah found the agreement "null and void" and "humiliating." Hezbollah considered Israel's linking its withdrawal to the disarmament of Hezbollah as a "red line."
While Israel has occupied some areas in southern Lebanon for decades, it has advanced to a depth of over 10 kilometers in recent attacks. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, 4,246 people have been killed, 12,190 injured and over 1 million displaced in Israel's attacks on Lebanon so far.
