Bennett: We may be forced into a confrontation with Lebanon, Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in closed meeting held yesterday morning that Israel might go into a military confrontation with Lebanon or Gaza soon, Ynet News reported.

During a meeting of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, Bennett did not rule out the need for a military confrontation with Lebanon or Gaza alongside Israel’s fight against Iran’s nuclear deal.

Referring to Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz’s recent meetings with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Bennett said that he is not planning to advance peace talks with the Palestinians at this time.

The priority for Israel, Bennett stressed, is to maintain stability in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

He also stressed that his government is working to prevent Hamas from arming itself, and to return two Israelis and the bodies of two Israeli soldiers believed to be held by the Palestinian resistance in Gaza.

READ: As Israel plots an endgame in occupied Golan, Naftali Bennett should learn from the past