Netanyahu says peace with Lebanon possible, signals conditional talks with Syria

During his address to the UN General Assembly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected accusations of genocide or famine in Gaza, reiterated Israel’s commitment to the war effort, and asserted that peace with Lebanon is “possible” if Beirut takes credible steps to disarm Hezbollah.

“I call on the Lebanese government to also begin direct negotiations with Israel,” Netanyahu said, referencing ongoing (but faltering) talks with Syrian authorities, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Netanyahu acknowledged Lebanon’s stated efforts to enforce a monopoly on arms but demanded more than rhetoric:

“I commend it for its declared aim to disarm Hezbollah. But we need more than words.”

He offered conditional optimism:

“If Lebanon takes genuine and sustained action to disarm Hezbollah, I’m sure we can achieve a sustainable peace,” he told the mostly empty hall.

“Of course, until that happens, we will take whatever action we need to defend ourselves and to maintain the conditions of the cease-fire that was established in Lebanon.”

Turning to Syria, Netanyahu voiced hope for an agreement that would uphold Syria’s sovereignty while safeguarding Israel’s security interests and regional minority communities. His office noted earlier this week that concluding the negotiations is “contingent on ensuring the interests of Israel, which include, inter alia, the demilitarization of south‑western Syria and preserving the safety and security of the Druze in Syria.”

Israel and Syria have technically been in conflict since 1948. A disengagement agreement signed in 1974 created a limited demilitarized zone monitored by the United Nations. Yet, in the wake of the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Israel has launched far-reaching strikes on Syrian military assets and deployed troops into the country’s south.

Netanyahu’s address came a year after his previous speech to the Assembly, following which Israeli jets unleashed more than 80 “2,000‑pound bombs” on Beirut’s southern suburbs, flattening several buildings and reportedly killing an unspecified number of civilians—including the then-Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, according to some reports.

At the UN, Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s posture: that peace with Lebanon is conditional, that Syria must meet strict security demands, and that Israel remains prepared to act unilaterally if needed to safeguard itself.

By Vafa Guliyeva