Israeli President Isaac Herzog said in an interview on Sunday that his country “absolutely” does not want tensions with Hezbollah to escalate into a full-scale war but is committed to ensuring the safe return of tens of thousands of Israelis displaced from their homes near the northern border with Lebanon.
In an interview with CBS News' “Face the Nation,” Herzog said Israel does not want war, adding, “But if war is waged against us, we will fight to the end.”
“Absolutely not. We don't want this war. We don't want war,” Herzog told host Margaret Brennan when asked whether Israel was seeking to escalate into a larger war given its latest operations against thousands of Hezbollah fighters and the recent strike that killed its commander.
“This war was waged against us by proxies of the evil empire of Iran, by Hamas on October 7 and by Hezbollah on October 8. And since then, proxies of Iran have been attacking us from Lebanon in the north, and of course Hamas in the south, and throughout the Middle East,” he continued.
Herzog noted that despite the Israeli military prioritizing its operations in Gaza, Hezbollah has not stopped firing missiles into northern Israel, forcing as many as 100,000 Israelis to flee their homes.
The war in Gaza is not over yet, but Hamas is weaker and no longer the threat it once was, freeing up Israel's resources. Last week, Israel moved its elite paratrooper and combat unit, the 98th Division, to the north.According to the Associated PressThe unit played a key role in the Gaza operation.
The Israeli government has updated its official objectives in the ongoing war in Gaza to include the additional goal of allowing residents of northern Israel displaced by Hezbollah to return home safely, The Times of Israel reported. Reported.
Herzog reiterated this determination in the interview.
“Lives are being destroyed on our northern border. I don't think any American will accept this as the status quo in the United States. And finally, there's work that needs to be done,” he said.
“The duty of governments and states is to look after their people and bring them back to their homes,” he said, adding that it had been almost a year since Israeli hostages were taken by Hamas on October 7. “There are already 101 hostages waiting in dungeons in Gaza and we are begging for them.”
Herzog praised the efforts of the U.S. and the Biden administration to negotiate a diplomatic solution but expressed skepticism that the prospect is within reach.
“We have never said we don't want a diplomatic agreement. On the contrary, we have a very capable U.S. special envoy and presidential adviser, Amos Hochstein, who is trying to go back and forth between the U.S. and Lebanon,” he said.
“But really, understand the situation. When you're dealing with terrorist organisations, they don't care about the international situation. They take hostages, they shoot as much as they want,” he said.
“Now we have agreed to hold multiple rounds of talks. We support and welcome the efforts of the United States and its administration. Really. We respect it very much,” he added. “But in the end, Mr. Hochstein leaves Israel and they continue firing. This cannot go on forever, because our people have to come home.”
