Multiple Israeli officials took to social media to criticize Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to cancel a strike on Beirut at the urging of US President Donald Trump on Monday.

“This is the time to tell our friend, President Trump – ‘no’,” National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir wrote on X/Twitter, reminding Netanyahu that he once said a strong prime minister would be able to tell the president of the US no when necessary. 

“Now is the time to do what is required and necessary to strike Hezbollah,” Ben-Gvir added.

Former IDF chief of staff and Yashar! Party leader Gadi Eisenkot also referenced Netanyahu’s past remarks regarding Trump. 

Calling Trump’s directive “a humiliating demand, one that is blatantly unreasonable,” Eisenkot added that Netanyahu “is the man who preached morals to everyone about the basic need to be a prime minister and know how to say ‘no’ to the President of the United States.”

Opposition leader Yair Lapid accused Netanyahu of behaving as though Israel were a protectorate state of the US. Lapid had called for a “powerful response” to the rocket fire from Lebanon on Saturday, writing that “the responsibility for the security of Israeli citizens lies solely with the Israeli government.”

MK Oded Forer urged Netanyahu to “fulfill his role and act to protect the residents of the North.”

Northern Israel under attack

The criticisms come as northern Israel continues to come under a barrage of missiles and drones, with multiple municipal leaders in the north condemning the government’s handling of the situation. 

Former prime minister and competitor in the race for Israel’s next prime minister, Naftali Bennett, wrote that the government had “lost control over Israeli sovereignty” and pledged to restore security to the citizens of Israel.

Bennett accused the government of trying to “normalize an intolerable and unacceptable situation” on Saturday evening, writing that the current coalition is “incapable.”

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