Weekly Commentary: Netanyahu: Preserve Bond With America - No Withdrawal
From Lebanon
Dr. Aaron Lerner 18 June 2026

"True, the struggle is not yet over, and further challenges lie ahead. And
these demand from us composure, a determined stance on our security
interests, and at the same time, the preservation of our important bond with
our American friends, who have fought alongside us shoulder to shoulder -
and we appreciate that very much.

... we will restore security and prosperity to the communities of the North.
This requires maintaining the security zone in southern Lebanon; it requires
that we do not withdraw from there as long as Israel's security needs demand
it. Because this zone is the barrier between Hezbollah terrorists and our
citizens and communities"
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 18 June 2026

An important message from our prime minister as VP Vance openly threatens us
and President Trump belittles our concerns.

Yes, says Netanyahu, the challenges we face demands "the preservation of our
important bond with our American friends", but the preservation of that bond
cannot be achieved by forfeiting our vital national interests.

And so, regardless of what the USA-Iran MOU may say, " security and
prosperity to the communities of the North... requires maintaining the
security zone in southern Lebanon... as long as Israel's security needs
demand it."

And a piece of paper won't change this need.

Nor Lebanese troops or any combination of foreign observers. Been there.
Done that. Everywhere we turn in Lebanon we find more large weapons stores
despite all these arrangements to date.

At the end of the day, President Trump will be annoyed that, as a democracy,
it would be political suicide for the Likud in general and Netanyahu in
particular, for the IDF to retreat from Lebanon before our elections in the
coming months.

But Mr. Trump will ultimately understand why, this time, we cannot forfeit
our vital national interests simply because he unilaterally committed to a
ceasefire in Lebanon.

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IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis

Since 1992 providing news and analysis on the Middle East with a focus on
Arab-Israeli relations

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