Ben-Gvir Condemns Lebanon Framework as 'Historic Mistake,' Opening Cabinet Rift

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir publicly condemned the US-mediated Israel-Lebanon framework as 'a historic mistake, a terrible missed opportunity and a lament for generations,' opening a visible rift inside the cabinet with Prime Minister Netanyahu. In a Telegram statement, Ben-Gvir argued that 'members of the Lebanese government are Hezbollah ministers, and Lebanon cannot be trusted to take Hezbollah's weapons,' adding that 'only IDF soldiers will destroy Hezbollah, no other party will do it for us.' The Otzma Yehudit chief accused the government of giving Hezbollah 'exactly the lifeline it begged for in the form of a ceasefire' instead of pressing for total victory. Netanyahu defended the agreement as 'a massive blow to Iran and Hezbollah,' but the broadside signals strain inside the coalition as it heads into the August 4 Likud primaries and the fall campaign.