FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Israel should emerge from the current conflict with a "new" border with Lebanon, an Israeli government minister has argued. The comments by Bezalel Smotrich, Benjamin Netanyahu's finance minister, are the clearest yet from a senior Israeli official on the occupation of Lebanese territory in a war that Israel says is targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants.
Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel. Since then, Israel has ordered all residents south of the Litani River to evacuate as it targets the area with airstrikes.
At the weekend, it began bombing bridges over the Litani, which it says Hezbollah is using to move fighters. Israel's defense minister also ordered the destruction of homes in Lebanese villages.
Smotrich told an Israeli radio show that the military campaign in Lebanon should end with a completely different reality, both with Hezbollah's decision, but also with Israel's borders changing. He argues that the border should be extended to the Litani River in southern Lebanon.
"I say it here emphatically... in every room and in every discussion as well: the new Israeli border must be the litany ," Smotrich said.
Smotrich, the leader of a small far-right party in Netanyahu's cabinet, has made similar comments about Gaza, which often go beyond official Israeli policy.
Netanyahu's office did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters. A Lebanese official told the agency that Beirut was still relying on foreign powers to exert enough pressure on Israel to end the war, through an offer from President Joseph Aoun to hold direct talks.
Ky eshte dhe qellimi kryesor, Izraeli i madh ne kufijte biblik