Tel Aviv [Israel], June 15 : In a sharp rebuke of diplomatic efforts brokered by Washington, Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir declared that the country is not bound by external diplomatic understandings and maintained its absolute state sovereignty.
The far-right minister made it clear that American-led initiatives does not dictate domestic or military policy, emphasising Israel's geopolitical independence following US President Donald Trump's announcement of a completed deal with Iran.
"Trump's agreement does not bind us. Israel is not subject to the United States, and we are an independent and sovereign nation! Our duty is to the citizens of Israel, to the soldiers of the IDF, and to the Jewish people, and our historical duty to the persecuted and murdered Jews over thousands of years of exile, to provide security to Jews in the Land of Israel," he posted on X.
"Every time we succumbed to international pressure at the expense of Israel's security, we paid a blood price with interest. It was true in the Oslo Accords, it was true in the Lebanon agreement in 2006, and it was true in every period of containment in Gaza that exploded in our faces. We emphasize: We love the USA and are grateful to President Trump. And yet, the State of Israel is not a banana republic. I say these things to the Prime Minister all the time, and repeat them in closed rooms at every important historical juncture," he added.
The Israeli Minister took a strident position claiming that every drone or missile directed at Israel from Leabanon would be met with an Israeli strike.
"In historical moments, a historical decision must be made. My position is clear: We are not partners to this agreement that does not ensure our security, and it does not bind us in any way. We must not compromise on anything less than the dismantling of Hezbollah, we must not withdraw from any territory that our fighters have captured and cleared of terror infrastructure, we must not return to a situation where thousands of terrorists sit on the fences of northern settlements, and certainly we must not remain silent for a moment in the face of fire directed at the State of Israel. We must make it clear: Every launch of a drone, UAV, or missile toward Israel from Lebanon will lead to an Israeli strike in Dahiya. That was the deterrence balance just a few months ago, and we must not give it up in any way. And above all, we must make it clear to everyone: The people of Israel is a people of 3,000 years, the eternal people that does not fear a long road; we have faith in the Creator of the Universe, we are a strong and proud people that returned to its homeland strong and proud, and does not intend to lower its gaze before enemies anymore. The days are over when the Jew took blows and kept silent." he said.
Echoing this severe domestic opposition, former Israeli Defence Minister and prominent opposition figure Benny Gantz issued a stern warning against any diplomatic arrangements that would curtail Israel's military leverage, labelling the current international diplomatic track a massive misstep.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, Gantz targeted the ongoing regional security negotiations, asserting, "Under no circumstances is it permissible to agree to restrict Israel's freedom of action in Lebanon or to a withdrawal that endangers the residents of the north. The emerging agreement with Iran appears to be a strategic failure that will require Israel to engage in diplomatic, military, and legal struggles in the coming years, which only a broad Zionist government can lead."
This intense political blowback from Jerusalem comes immediately after US President Donald Trump announced the finalisation of a diplomatic agreement with Iran, declaring the lifting of the American naval blockade and the immediate reopening of a vital maritime trade route.
The development unfolded just hours ahead of a scheduled UFC event at the White House, which was organised to mark the US President's 80th birthday.
The announcement came through an official social media post in which Trump declared that "the Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete".
In a detailed post on his platform Truth Social, the US President confirmed the cessation of the maritime restrictions.
"The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all! I hereby fully authorise the toll-free opening of the Strait of Hormuz and, simultaneously herewith, authorise the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade. Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow! President DONALD J. TRUMP," Trump wrote, cheering the anticipated revival of global shipping and energy exports by adding, "Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!"
Moments before the official declaration from Washington, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the development, claiming that an agreement between the "United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran has been REACHED".