Israel's U.N. ambassador says Israel seeks to hand positions in Lebanon to Lebanese military, will bar Hezbollah return

During a question‑and‑answer session after his opening statement, Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, described Israel's approach to operations in Lebanon and negotiations with the Lebanese government.

Pamela Falk of U.S. News & World Report asked how Danon sees the Lebanon campaign ending and whether Iran's role complicates the effort. Danon said Israel is engaged in "direct negotiations with the Lebanese government" and described those talks as "very fruitful." He said Israel's goal is to hand control of positions to the Lebanese military and eventually withdraw: "For us, we have no desire to stay in Lebanon. Eventually, we want to pull back to Israel and to allow the Lebanese military to take over those positions." He added Israel will not allow Iran or Hezbollah to return to the positions they held at the border.

When Adla Masoud of The National referenced months of war, "thousands of casualties" and "over a million displaced," Danon acknowledged the conflict is "very complicated," described Hezbollah as "a terrorist organization that hides behind civilians," and said Israel had "pushed Hezbollah to different locations" while emphasizing the need to prevent their return.

The briefing record captures Danon's description of ongoing negotiations and Israel's stated objectives. It does not record terms of any agreement with Lebanon, timelines for withdrawal, or confirmation from Lebanese authorities about taking control of those positions.

Why this matters: Danon's remarks outline Israel's stated end‑state for its operations in Lebanon—handing positions to Lebanon's military and preventing Hezbollah's return. Those objectives, if pursued in negotiations or operations, would shape post‑conflict security arrangements and regional diplomacy.

Provenance: Ambassador Danon's answers to reporters during the Q&A portion (transcript segments beginning SEG 187 through SEG 243).