Israeli Settlers Increase Call for Occupation of South Lebanon

Beirut, MINA – Calls are growing among illegal settlers in northern occupied Palestine for the expansion of Israeli operations into southern Lebanon, with open calls for the annexation and the displacement of local populations.

Al-Mayadeen in Beirut reported on Tuesday, according to a report by The Intercept, settlers in the Netu’a settlement, built on the lands of the forcibly depopulated villages of Dayr al-Qassi and al-Mansura, have expressed support for pushing the occupation further north into Lebanese territory.

“I want to occupy,” Eyal Adom, a settler in “Netu’a,” told the outlet. “Yes, occupy, the word nobody likes. I want to occupy southern Lebanon. Move all the Arabs from there, up to the Litani River.”

These statements come amid ongoing confrontations in southern Lebanon, where the Lebanese Resistance continues to prevent Israeli occupation forces from advancing and establishing control over border areas.

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Several settlers interviewed indicated that the fate of residents in southern Lebanon is not a concern, framing land seizure as the primary objective.

“The Arabs’ only motivation to stop fighting is if you take their land,” Adom said. “You kill them, it doesn’t matter. You hurt them, it doesn’t matter. Nothing matters. Only taking territories.”

At least seven settlers told The Intercept that they view the depopulation of southern Lebanon as necessary to secure their own presence, reinforcing narratives centered on displacement and territorial expansion.

Oranit Manasseh, another settler, stated that she hopes the IOF would “depopulate the south, get rid of Hezbollah, and keep the terrorists out.”

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These calls follow the “Black Wednesday” attacks, an escalation in which Israeli forces launched over 100 airstrikes across Lebanon, targeting civilian areas.

According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, the preliminary toll from those attacks reached approximately 357 martyrs and 1,223 wounded. []

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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