Benny Gantz, chairman of the National Unity party and a member of Knesset, declared at the MEAD Conference in Washington that Israel must prepare for war in the North if a deal to free hostages is not reached soon.
“The time for action in the North has come – if we do not reach a deal for the hostages within days or a few weeks, we will have to go to war in the North,” Gantz said, adding that Israel’s security policy post-October 7 cannot return to what it was previously.
On the situation in the North
Reflecting on the ongoing conflict, Gantz admitted that Israel had made errors in its initial response.
“I think we made a mistake by evacuating such a large portion of the population. We should have only evacuated the towns and kibbutzim near the border,” he said, taking responsibility for the decision made out of the uncertainty felt at the beginning of the war.
He stressed the urgency of the situation in the North and the need for a hostage deal, even at a painful price. If this goal is not achieved within days or weeks, Israel will have no choice but to escalate the conflict with Hezbollah.
“We must ensure that residents can return to their homes. We can achieve this goal, even if it means damaging Lebanon itself. Unfortunately, I don’t see another way,” Gantz said, noting that UN Resolution 1701, which was meant to end the Second Lebanon War, is now outdated.
“We must now move toward a resolution where we proactively strike in response to any violation or threat to our borders, especially the threat of infiltrations into our towns,” he added.
A decade of operations in Gaza
Gantz outlined his view of what victory in Gaza should look like.
“True victory is bringing the hostages back to their families and the residents back to their homes. That’s the foundation of victory. It will take another decade of operations in Gaza to ensure that Hamas cannot rebuild its strength,” he explained.
Gantz also voiced support for earlier operations in Rafah, which he had previously advocated for during a visit to Washington in March.
The Iranian threat
Turning to Iran’s involvement in regional conflicts, Gantz argued that the Islamic Republic is the true root of the problem. He cited Iran’s influence in Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon, as well as its involvement in global conflicts, including the war in Ukraine.
“Hezbollah is certainly an operational threat, but we must focus on the root problem – Iran,” he said.
Gantz called for continued pressure on Iran, not just militarily but also economically and diplomatically.
“If another nuclear deal is on the table, it must not have the loopholes of the previous one regarding enrichment and launch capabilities. It must include strict restrictions on Iran’s funding and use of proxies. Iran is a global and regional challenge, not just an Israeli problem,” he stressed.
Building regional partnerships
Gantz expressed hope that regional partnerships, particularly with Saudi Arabia, could be strengthened through platforms like the MEAD Conference.
“I hope we can develop regional partnerships, and conferences like MEAD play a key role in that. I hope we can also expand partnerships with Saudi Arabia, an important Arab country, so that we can all benefit from security, economic cooperation, science, and more,” he said.
It is worth noting that Saudi Ambassador to the US, Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud was in attendance at the conference and listened to Gantz’s remarks.
The MEAD Conference
The MEAD Conference is a global, apolitical event held for the first time this year in Washington, DC. It serves as a platform for strategic dialogue between the Middle East and the US. The conference’s leadership includes Tom Nides, David Friedman, Dennis Ross, and Elliott Abrams, who are hosting discussions on the region’s evolving geopolitical dynamics.
Senior leaders from the US, Israel, and moderate Arab countries are participating in the conference alongside experts in security, economics, diplomacy, governance, academia, think tanks, and the media.
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