The Israeli state, through Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, has declared its intent to maintain military control over territory up to the Litani River, asserting that "northern security" must be ensured "at any cost." Eliyahu made these remarks to The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday, underscoring the state's commitment to territorial expansion and the projection of its military power in the region.
Eliyahu further indicated a strategy of covert military operations, stating, "We do not need to declare what comes next, but rather to carry out the next required action," and that such actions "will come through surprises, not declarations." This approach prioritizes unilateral military action over transparent engagement, serving the interests of capital accumulation through regional dominance.
These statements emerged amidst widespread criticism from government ministers regarding an emerging US-Iran agreement, which is perceived as potentially impacting Israel's ongoing military operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah. The ruling class views any diplomatic arrangement that might constrain its military reach as a threat to its regional power projection.
Reports indicate that Hezbollah has received assurances from Iran, signaling an intent to demand the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon during subsequent negotiations with the United States. This move represents a direct challenge to the Israeli state's military presence, which functions as an imperial garrison in the region.
The State's Imperial Demands
Eliyahu issued a direct warning, stating, "If Iran wants to try to be Hezbollah's protector, I would suggest they remember what happened to Hezbollah when it tried to be Hamas's protector." This threat frames regional resistance movements as interconnected targets for state suppression, justifying continued military aggression.
Eliyahu also expressed his "sincere hope" that President Donald Trump had not delivered his "last word" on the agreement. He articulated a preference for military confrontation over diplomatic compromise, stating his hope that Trump recalled "the lessons of history, from which we learned that when civilization is required to choose between the disgrace of an agreement with evil and a war against evil, and in the end the agreement prevails, the final outcome is both disgrace and war." This rhetoric positions any negotiated settlement that does not align with the state's maximalist demands as a capitulation, rather than a step towards de-escalation for the working people of the region.
Rejecting Diplomacy for Domination
Further reinforcing this stance, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, declared on Monday that the Trump agreement "does not bind us." Speaking at a party press conference in the Knesset, Ben-Gvir asserted that "The State of Israel must not accept a ceasefire between the United States and Iran," signaling the state's rejection of any diplomatic efforts that might stabilize regional tensions without its explicit approval. This position highlights the state's role in protecting accumulated wealth and suppressing organized challenges to the existing distribution of power.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich echoed these sentiments, labeling the agreement "bad for Israel and the entire free world." Such pronouncements from the ruling class serve to legitimize continued military posturing and territorial claims under the guise of global security, while the human cost of such policies is borne by the working class and the dispossessed.