Peloni: Many of the questions in the press conference reflected the opening of the political season for the coming election, but note too that the Bibi’s answers were frank and qualifying. Most notably, Bibi makes it very clear that he is still unaware of the terms of the presumably now signed document. He also references and respects the relationship with the US, and is careful to explain the nature of relationship is one that requires careful handling. While making the election pitch that the manner in which he handled this relationship is reflected in the achievements which have taken place over this past term, it must be noted that Bibi stood up to Biden when he, along with the support of others including Eisenkot and Gantz, when he took the bold step of seizing Rafah. So too it must be reflected upon that the IDF today remains in Lebanon in a forward position and in full possession of Beaufort Castle and beyond the Litani. A question remains in my mind if it is believable that Bibi could reasonably withstand the pressure from Trump in demanding he evacuate Lebanon, and yet, there the IDF remains. Much will be determined if this buffer zone is abandoned once again as has happened in the past under US pressure. Should the IDF maintain or expand this position in Lebanon, it is a credible question of whether this is being accomplished with Trump’s support or despite it. Stated otherwise, is it reasonable that Bibi could openly defy Trump on this point, even as he could not do so at the end of the 12 Day War when Trump demanded and end to the war?
Please see translation of Q&A section following PM Netanyahu’s speech at bottom.
Translation of the Q&A Session of PM Netanyahu Press Conference:
Question:
Can you also tell a designated American president what the red lines of the State of Israel are? Will you attack Iran alone? And will you attack in Lebanon independently?
Netanyahu:
How many questions is that? One question. The same question.
Well, President Trump and I have known each other for many years. He is the President of the United States, and I am the Prime Minister of Israel. Many times we see eye to eye, and there are also cases where we see things less eye to eye.
I am responsible for the security interests of Israel. I stand by them, and I want to tell you how one stands by them. One must stand by them not through bluster. One must do it wisely. And that requires a great deal of experience and a great deal of wisdom, and a great deal of familiarity with the American arena. It requires a great deal of experience.
I think I do it in the best possible way, and when necessary, I stand firmly for our security interests.
Question (i24):
Hello, sir. I would like to ask you whether we have won the war that you call the War of Revival? And if not, is the next round against Iran only a matter of time?
Netanyahu:
I think that what we see today is that our situation in the War of Revival, since October 7, simply cannot be compared to our strength today.
We struck our enemies. We broke the Iranian axis, the Iranian terror axis. Hezbollah is a shadow of what it was. There is still work to do.
In Gaza, we control more than 60 percent of the territory. Gaza no longer constitutes a real threat to Israel. What you see in the Gaza Strip is something that nobody believed, because I said this too would happen. I said that the area would flourish again and that people would feel safe.
I don’t know if you know this, but today the demand for housing around Gaza is enormous. There are not enough homes. Everyone wants to move there. Why do they want to move there? Because we truly succeeded in reducing and breaking that threat and in bringing a very large prosperity package.
That is what we are also going to do in the north. I know—I visit the north. I was in Shlomi a few days ago. You see both the wonderful resilience of the public there, of the residents of the north, and also their hardship, and I am aware of that.
But I told the leaders there: what we did in Gaza, which nobody believed we would do, we are also going to do in the north. You will have security here, and you will also have prosperity, and we will achieve it.
I am personally committed to this, and we are personally working on it.
I think we delivered very severe blows to Hezbollah—very severe. Of those 150,000 rockets, 8 percent remains. Today we have created a security zone that distances and eliminates any possibility of the Galilee being conquered by the Radwan Force.
We killed thousands—thousands—of Hezbollah terrorists. Today we are also working, and I personally lead this effort, to solve a global problem called explosive drones. We are already implementing solutions on the ground. With God’s help, we will get there.
That is to say, we will ensure that the residents of the north have the same security and the same prosperity. And by the way, just a week ago we brought a huge prosperity package worth billions of shekels for the residents of the north.
We will bring both prosperity and security to the residents of the north.
Question (Channel 11):
Mr. Prime Minister, when you launched the operation against Iran, you said that the purpose of the operation was the removal of the threat of the Ayatollah regime in Iran. Three months later, the campaign is declared over, and the Ayatollah regime is still in place. It still exists. Where did you make a mistake?
Netanyahu:
Who said I made a mistake? You say that. I say the opposite.
I made no mistake at all. I defined the objectives, and the cabinet defined the objectives, differently from what you said.
We said we wanted to remove an existential danger from above us—the nuclear danger—and we did that.
We said we wanted to remove the missile threat from above us—and we did that.
And we said that we wanted to create the conditions that would enable the Iranian people, if they so choose, to remove this terror regime from themselves.
Now I can tell you one thing: Iran is in a very difficult economic situation. We struck every possible infrastructure there. The damage is enormous. There are cracks within the regime as well.
Can I tell you when that regime will fall? No. Could I have told you when the Soviet regime would fall? But it fell.
No, I did not define it exactly as you said. Don’t define it for me, because I know exactly what I defined. I said: create the conditions that would allow the Iranian people to bring down the regime.
No one knows when that regime will fall. My assessment remains the same: remove the threat.
Look, I understand. I understand that it is difficult for you to accept the fact—and contrary to everything you constantly promote on your channels—there is a major failure here.
What failure?
How can one compare Israel on October 7 with Israel today? Israel before, with that regime racing toward nuclear weapons and preparing to produce thousands more ballistic missiles against us, and today that threat has been pushed back.
Both of those things were achieved.
And the main thing—the main thing I can tell you—is that there is a systematic effort to minimize these tremendous achievements, to portray Israel as emerging weak.
Israel emerges strong, resilient, and with leadership that knows how to stand for what must be stood for in a smart, wise, and firm manner.
Question (Channel 13):
Mr. Prime Minister, can you stand before the citizens of the State of Israel tonight and say that you are the sole decision-maker regarding the actions of the Israel Defense Forces and not President Trump?
And there have been reports that you intend to retire in the next election. Do you intend to run and see it through?
Netanyahu:
First of all, I am very moved by your concern over whether I will run or not. I understand.
So I want to reassure you: yes, I am going to run, and I also intend to win.
As for my relationship with President Trump, which is really the question you asked: in the United States they say that President Trump does everything I ask, and in Israel they say the opposite—that I do everything he asks.
Neither is true.
This is a relationship between partners who have known each other for many years. As I said, we agree many times; sometimes we do not agree. That happens in the best of families.
I can say that I established certain parameters for our activities, and we act accordingly.
And by the way, those who tell you that we can do anything—that we can conquer half of Europe if only a decision is made—that is not true.
And those who say that we can completely ignore what the United States says—that is also not true.
We take it into account, and we appreciate it as well. He entered this arena boldly. He brought the United States military to fight alongside us against our common enemy. That is a significant thing. I respect it.
But just as one cannot say that we completely ignore what is happening in the world or geopolitical considerations, one also cannot say that we are completely subject to those considerations.
I think that under my leadership, the State of Israel has proven that it does great things and leads many initiatives.
We initiate, we act, we surprise, and we also win.
Question (Channel 12):
Prime Minister, when you were in the opposition before the previous elections, you said the following:
“Lapid and Gantz fell asleep on watch. The Biden administration is rushing toward an agreement that is worse than its predecessor. It is a strategic disaster for the State of Israel, and they are doing nothing. They should meet with senators, members of Congress, appear on television.”
The question is whether you also fell asleep on watch, and whether you really intend to do all those things—meet with senators and members of Congress. What exactly happened, and why did Trump behave like Biden and sign such an agreement?
Netanyahu:
I would not make that comparison.
We still do not know what the agreement will be.
I can say that the fundamental difference between the situation then and the situation today is that any agreement must be accompanied by a credible military threat.
Back then there was no credible military threat.
Today, because of what we did—not only because of the United States, but because of us, because we entered there with 14,000 sorties—that is the biggest difference.
Approximately 14,000 sorties, roughly split about half and half between us and the United States.
There is a credible military threat.
I repeat: I can speak about my commitment as Prime Minister of Israel, who has devoted most of his adult life to one thing only—to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
And I say that if not for the things I have done over the years, Iran would have had atomic bombs long ago.
They do not have them, and I do not intend for them to have them.
We will do what is necessary, and again, I am not limiting myself in any way regarding this objective.
That objective is simple: Iran will not have nuclear weapons.
Question (Ynet):
Mr. Prime Minister, you said that you are not committed to the Lebanon clause in this agreement. Are you committed to the Iran agreement in this agreement?
Netanyahu:
Again, this agreement was made by the United States, by the President of the United States, and he believes that he can combine both opening the straits and dismantling the nuclear program.
I said: that is his decision.
I repeat: that is his decision. He is leading it, and of course I expressed my views in various discussions.
On the other hand, I said that we have our own interests.
First, regarding the nuclear threat: I am committed to ensuring that such a threat does not exist against us.
Second, regarding Lebanon: we created a buffer zone there, a security zone, and we will remain there as long as necessary.
Iran wanted us to withdraw from there. That did not happen.
Do you know why it did not happen?
Among other reasons, because I stood very, very firmly on this issue. I was very decisive about it.
I think our American friends respect that determination and that firm stance.
We are staying there because we need to protect the residents of the north.
There are other matters as well.
In any case, we want to preserve—and are acting to preserve—our freedom of action.
If people come to attack us, or are preparing to attack us, as happened today, then we act.
Today we eliminated four terrorists. Two men on motorcycles approached our forces in a threatening manner and were eliminated, and afterward two additional terrorists were eliminated.
We maintain our freedom of action, and we maintain the security zone in order to protect the residents of the north.
Thank you very much. I think that is the main thing.
Thank you very much, and we will meet again in the future. Thank you
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