Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar accused Hezbollah of starting the current conflict on Iranian orders and argued that Israel and Lebanon share a common enemy. According to Sa’ar, Hezbollah opened hostilities under Iranian direction, while disputes between Jerusalem and Beirut have narrowed to a few border issues. Sa’ar made the remarks in a speech at the international session of the MUNI EXPO conference in Tel Aviv, before governors and mayors from around the world. “Very few point out the fact that Hezbollah started this war on March 2, after receiving instructions from Tehran,” Sa’ar said.
1+“We’re speaking after another round of the historic talks between us and Lebanon taking place with U.S. mediation,” he said. “We have no real dispute with the Lebanese government beyond a few border points that can be resolved in short negotiations. We and Lebanon have a common enemy. This is the enemy of Lebanon’s future, sovereignty and independence, and it is also the enemy of Israel’s security—Hezbollah.”
Sa’ar claimed that international media doesn’t sufficiently emphasize Hezbollah’s responsibility for the outbreak of fighting. “Very few point out the fact that Hezbollah started this war on March 2, after receiving instructions from Tehran. Just as Hezbollah started the war on October 8, 2023, one day after Hamas’s attack on Israel,” he said.
1+He went on to emphasize the scale of fire toward Israel: “Just since March, Hezbollah has fired more than 7,000 rockets, missiles and drones from Lebanese territory at Israel. Imagine if your cities were attacked like this. What country could accept this and not act to restore security to its citizens?”
Sa’ar’s remarks came against the backdrop of ongoing contacts between Israel and Lebanon with American mediation, centered on border issues and the demand to strengthen Lebanon’s sovereignty against Hezbollah.