Israel Defies U.S. Pressure, Vows to Keep Hold of Lebanese and Syrian Territories

TEL AVIV/BEIRUT — Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared Wednesday that Israel will not withdraw from occupied territories in Lebanon and Syria — even if pressured to do so by the United States — in a defiant statement that underscores deepening tensions between Tel Aviv and Washington.
“We will not leave the areas we hold in Lebanon and Syria, regardless of what America says,” Katz stated, signaling that Israel intends to make its military presence in the region permanent.
In a particularly stark remark, the defense minister added that the 200,000 Lebanese civilians displaced by the Israeli military’s presence in southern Lebanon “will not be returning to their areas” — a declaration that has drawn immediate condemnation from humanitarian organizations and international observers.
Key Developments:
Israel has formally designated a large swath of southern Lebanon as a “security zone” under Israeli military control
The move defies terms of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement
200,000 displaced Lebanese civilians face permanent displacement
Israel simultaneously maintains military footholds in Syrian territory
Human rights groups have condemned the announcement as a flagrant violation of international law and UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese soil.
The statement signals a significant hardening of Israel’s post-war territorial ambitions and raises urgent questions about the viability of any lasting ceasefire arrangement in the region.