Likud ministers say Lebanon move was coordinated with Trump team, reject any pullback from captured areas

Three Israeli cabinet ministers said Sunday that the developing arrangement on Lebanon was drafted in full coordination with the Trump administration and does not include an Israeli withdrawal from areas seized by the IDF in southern Lebanon.

Speaking at a Likud conference in Beit El and in remarks to Arutz Sheva, Ministers Avi Dichter, Eli Cohen and Gila Gamliel presented the move as part of a broader regional strategy aimed at weakening Hezbollah, separating Lebanon from Iran’s direct orbit, and creating new security conditions along Israel’s northern border.

The ministers also pushed back against opposition claims that the government is "abandoning the north," arguing that the policy is designed to create a more durable security buffer and force a long-term change in the balance of power in Lebanon.

Ministers outline strategic shift

Gamliel said US President Donald Trump’s reported invitation to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanon’s prime minister to Washington was intended to advance a long-term diplomatic track while maintaining a hard line on Hezbollah’s disarmament.

“A distinction must be made between the Lebanese government and people, and the hostile takeover of Lebanon by Iran and Hezbollah,” Gamliel said.

She said Israel intends to maintain control up to the Litani River line in order to protect border communities and prevent Hezbollah from reestablishing a frontline threat near Israeli territory.

“We will remain up to the Litani line and safeguard the borders, with the goal that this boundary will eventually become an economic border between the two countries — and that Hezbollah will disappear from the area,” she said.

Gamliel dismissed criticism from political opponents who accused the government of failing residents of northern Israel.

“We are doing what should have been done long ago. Under Netanyahu’s leadership and with extraordinary cooperation with Trump, we are completely reshaping the Middle East,” she said.

Dichter stresses White House coordination

Dichter said the ceasefire decision did not come as a surprise to Israel’s political leadership and described US coordination as a central element in the process, particularly under the current administration.

“You have to understand that you are entering into a partnership with the United States and with the President of the United States,” Dichter said.

He said the arrangement included gains for Israel, even if some of its terms were less favorable than officials had originally hoped.

“There are many aspects that are better than what we initially wanted or expected,” he said.

“There are some things we like less, but overall we understand the direction.”

His remarks suggested the government sees the emerging framework not as a concessionary pullback, but as a negotiated step within a broader strategic realignment backed by Washington.

Cohen: If Lebanon will not act, Israel will

Cohen adopted a more hawkish tone, describing the coming period as a short test phase and warning that Israel would act directly if Lebanese authorities failed to confront Hezbollah.

“A ten-day ceasefire during which we will see where things are heading,” Cohen said.

He said one of Israel’s key objectives had been to separate the Lebanese front from the Iranian arena, both militarily and diplomatically.

“It was very important for us to create a distinction between Iran and Lebanon, both in actions and in timelines,” he said.

Cohen said he had little confidence that the Lebanese government would be able to impose its will on Hezbollah.

“I doubt whether the Lebanese government or its president will be able to do anything against Hezbollah. And if they don’t do the job — we will. We are committed to disarming Hezbollah,” he said.

He also said the IDF would remain in the areas it had captured, arguing that continued control on the ground was necessary to block anti-tank fire and infiltration attempts against Israeli communities.

“We will remain in all the areas we have taken. This strip will, at this stage, prevent the anti-tank threat and infiltration threats,” Cohen said.

“In my view, operations should continue in the future up to the Litani — and even beyond if necessary.”

Key messages from the ministers

• Israel says the Lebanon arrangement was coordinated with the Trump administration.

• The ministers insist there will be no withdrawal from areas captured by the IDF in southern Lebanon.

• The government says the long-term objective is to push Hezbollah away from the border and ultimately disarm the group.

• Officials are framing the move as part of a wider effort to separate Lebanon from Iran’s direct influence.

• The ministers say northern Israel’s security remains the central operational consideration.

Political and security implications

The ministers’ remarks indicate that the government is trying to balance diplomatic coordination with Washington against domestic pressure to maintain a hard security line in the north. Their statements also reflect deep skepticism inside the cabinet over whether Beirut can independently curb Hezbollah’s power.

At the same time, the messaging from Beit El was unambiguous on one point: senior ministers do not view the current process as a retreat. Instead, they are presenting it as a controlled, US-backed shift meant to lock in military gains, preserve operational freedom, and prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its presence along the border.

Whether that framework holds will depend on developments on the ground in southern Lebanon, the ability or willingness of Lebanese authorities to challenge Hezbollah, and the degree to which Washington continues to back Israel’s red lines.