TPC Staff
The Palestine Chronicle / August 13, 2026
Israeli War Minister Israel Katz ruled out withdrawal from occupied areas of Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, declaring Israeli forces “here to stay.”
‘Here to stay’
Israeli War Minister Israel Katz openly declared that Israeli forces intend to maintain a long-term military presence in occupied areas of Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, ruling out withdrawal from what Israel calls its “security zones.”
Katz made the remarks on Wednesday during a visit to Israeli occupation forces deployed inside southern Lebanon, where senior military commanders briefed him on ongoing operations and preparations for a potential future confrontation with Hezbollah.
“The Israeli army is here to stay in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza and to protect the entire State of Israel,” Katz said.
“We are up above and they are down below. I have instructed the Israeli army to take all necessary steps to prepare for a long-term presence in the area,” he added.
The statement comes nearly two months after Lebanon and Israel agreed to a US-sponsored framework involving the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, alongside the deployment of the Lebanese Army and provisions concerning Hezbollah’s weapons.
‘Under no circumstances will we withdraw’
Katz was particularly explicit regarding southern Lebanon, saying Israeli forces would retain control of what Israel has designated as a security zone.
“As the prime minister (Benjamin Netanyahu – PC) and I have stated, we will not withdraw from this security zone,” Katz said.
He described the area as extending “from the Mediterranean coast in the west to the Beaufort area and the approaches to Mount Hermon in the east.”
“The Israeli army is here to protect the northern settlements and its forces,” he continued.
“We will clear this area and guarantee the security of northern residents — and under no circumstances will we withdraw from the security zones: not in Lebanon, not in Syria, and not in Gaza,” Katz added.
His declaration directly contradicts Lebanese demands for a complete Israeli withdrawal and raises further questions over the future of the US-sponsored framework currently being negotiated between the two sides.
It also echoes Israel’s previous occupation of a self-declared “security zone” in southern Lebanon between 1985 and 2000, when Israeli forces and their allied South Lebanon Army maintained control over a broad strip of Lebanese territory until the occupation ended under sustained Resistance pressure.
Occupation as Israeli military doctrine
Katz presented maintaining Israeli occupation forces inside neighbouring territories as a central lesson Israel had drawn from October 7, 2023.
“The lesson of October 7 is that we protect the population through the presence of the Israeli army here, in these places, protecting them from incursions, gunfire, and everything else,” he said. “This is our policy and this is our doctrine.”
His remarks effectively link Israel’s military deployments in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza under a common doctrine of territorial control, with so-called security zones extending Israeli military presence beyond its existing boundaries.
The declaration is particularly significant in Lebanon, where Hezbollah has repeatedly rejected demands to relinquish its weapons while Israeli forces continue occupying Lebanese territory.
The Resistance has maintained that withdrawal cannot be made conditional on its disarmament and that Israel’s continued occupation demonstrates the need to preserve Lebanon’s capacity to resist.
‘The population is outside, the soldiers are inside’
Katz also openly described the destruction accompanying Israel’s military presence in southern Lebanon, including the demolition of homes and underground infrastructure.
“We are destroying what is underground and all the terrorist infrastructure they built with Iranian support in order to infiltrate (Al-Khalil), and we are destroying all the houses in the area,” he said.
Katz then summarized the situation in stark terms: “The population is outside, the soldiers are inside, and the houses are destroyed.”
The statement comes amid continuing Israeli demolitions, airstrikes, artillery attacks and bulldozing operations across southern Lebanon, including the destruction of residential buildings and infrastructure in areas where Israeli forces have established positions.
(TPC, Israeli media)
