Former Israel PM: Action 'might not end in Gaza'
Ehud Barak warns of potential conflict with Hezbollah and Iran
Israel's military action 'might not end in Gaza' warned the country's former prime minister. Speaking to the 大象传媒's HARDtalk programme, Ehud Barak warned that 'even without an incursion into Gaza', the conflict 'might deteriorate in the north with Hezbollah and probably the Iranians might be interested'. He warned of a spillover of fighting 'on two fronts, into a clash in Gaza, and at the same time with Hezbollah'.
Hezbollah - a Lebanese-based Shia militant group which the UK, US and other countries have designated a terrorist organisation - has close ties to Iran.
Mr Barak led Israel from 1999-2001 and was a soldier in the Yom Kippur war in 1973. Speaking from Tel Aviv, he said the country is united in how to respond to Hamas's attack on October 7 which killed at least 1,200 Israelis. 'The first step is fully agreed among Israel...to make this behaviour erased and eliminated from the region' he said.
He told Stephen Sackur that whilst people might disagree on the long-term political solution, 'we agree on what has to be done now. We have to paralyze any possibility of Hamas - the terror, murderous, barbarian organization, to stand once again 鈥� this is agreed'. Discussion about the ultimate political goals for the region must wait until 'after this effort to paralyze Hamas has been successful', he said.
But ultimately, he said he was 'confident' that a solution to the decades of conflict will be found: 'a two state solution...an independent Israel, well-secured with all its strategic assets, side-by-side with a demilitarized, viable Palestinian state.' He added, 鈥榯hat is the vision, it is not actual, it is not our job now鈥�.
