Mr. Gallant made the remarks as, according to several Israeli media, Amos Hochstein, the special envoy of US President Joe Biden, is expected on Monday for talks with Israeli leaders. Mr. Hochstein has been making regular transfers between Israel and Lebanon for months to try to ease border tensions.
“The status quo cannot last”
Like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, Mr. Gallant spoke about the fate of tens of thousands of Israelis still being evacuated from settlements near the Israel-Lebanon border, where gunfire has been almost daily since the start of the war between Israel and Lebanon. Gaza Strip triggered by the bloody attack of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas on October 7.
“We will do whatever it takes to ensure that [les habitants du Nord] return home safely,” Mr. Netanyahu said on Sunday. “The status quo cannot continue. We need to change the balance of power on our northern border,” he added.
Relative peace since 2006
The very relative and fragile peace that has reigned there since the end of the 33-day war between Israel and Hezbollah in the summer of 2006 has turned into a latent war since the Lebanese Shiite movement reopened the front on October 8 in support of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.