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Sheikh Qassem: Our supporters make up more than half of Lebanon's population, and all of these people are united under the banner of protecting Lebanon, its Resistance, its people, and its integrity.
Sheikh Qassem: There will be no phased handing in of our arms. [The Israelis] must first enact the agreement before we start talking about a defensive strategy.
Sheikh Qassem: Be brave in the face of foreign pressures, and we will be by your side in this stance.
Sheikh Qassem: Stripping us of our arms is like stripping us of our very soul, and this will prompt us to show them our might.
Sheikh Qassem: We will not abandon our arms, for they gave us dignity; we will not abandon our arms, for they protect us against our enemy.
Sheikh Qassem: The US efforts we are seeing are aimed at sabotaging Lebanon and constitute a call for sedition.
Sheikh Qassem: If you truly want to establish sovereignty and work for Lebanon’s interests, then stop the aggression.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States, which is meddling in Lebanon, is not trustworthy but rather poses a danger to it.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States is preventing the weapons that protect the homeland.
Sheikh Qassem: The government’s latest decision [on the disarmament of the Resistance] is non-charter-based, and if the government continues down this path, it is not faithful to Lebanon’s sovereignty.

'Enough is enough': Ex-Israeli PM Olmert urges Trump to halt Gaza war

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 10 Jun 2025 08:25
  • 1 Shares
4 Min Read

Former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert calls the ongoing war on Gaza a "crime", criticizing Netanyahu’s leadership and urging Trump to demand an end to the struggle.

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    Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert looks on during an interview with AFP (Agence France-Presse) in Paris, on June 9, 2025. (AFP)

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has sharply criticized the continuation of the war on Gaza, labeling it a "crime" and warning that only a so-called "two-state" solution can resolve the struggle.

Speaking to AFP in Paris, Olmert called on US President Donald Trump to use Washington's leverage to halt the war.

Olmert, who led the Israeli government from 2006 to 2009, said the United States holds more sway over the Israeli government than any other power and that Trump could play a decisive role in ending the war.

In 2006, Olmert's government launched a large-scale military aggression on Lebanon after Hezbollah carried out a cross-border operation and took two Israeli soldiers captive to recover its detainees in Israeli occupation prisons.

Lebanese figures put the number of Lebanese people killed in the 2006 Israeli attacks at nearly 1,200 martyrs and more than 4,500 injuries.

The 34-day war drew widespread criticism within "Israel" for its handling and inconclusive results, ultimately damaging Olmert’s political standing and contributing to his later resignation.

Netanyahu prioritizing political survival, says Olmert

Olmert accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing "completely" as a leader by not preventing the October 7, 2023, attack by the Palestinian Resistance.

He claimed that while the international community initially recognized "Israel’s right to self-defense," global sentiment shifted after Netanyahu rejected ceasefire opportunities in March and escalated the aggression instead.

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Netanyahu "has his personal interests which are prioritised over what may be the national interests,” the former Israeli premier stated, suggesting the prime minister’s decision-making is driven by political survival rather than "national" security.

Analysts have pointed out that Netanyahu fears losing hardline support within his coalition if he ends the war, which could bring down the government and lead to elections he may not win.

Olmert emphasized the decisive influence of the US over the Israeli government, noting that no other international actor holds comparable sway.

'This is a crime'

"If there is a war which is not going to save hostages, which cannot really eradicate more of what they did already against Hamas and if, as a result of this, soldiers are getting killed, hostages maybe get killed and innocent Palestinians are killed, then to my mind this is a crime," he said.

"And this is something that should be condemned and not accepted."

In late May, Olmert acknowledged in an interview for the British BBC network that "what Israel is doing now in Gaza is very close to a war crime," adding that "the war has no purpose, and there is no chance of achieving anything that could save the lives of the Israeli hostages in Gaza."

‘Bibi: enough is enough’

The former prime minister urged Trump to summon Netanyahu to the White House and deliver a firm public message.

Trump should summon Netanyahu to the White House Oval Office and facing cameras, tell the Israeli leader, ‘Bibi: enough is enough,’” Olmert said, invoking the premier's nickname.

"This is it. I hope he (Trump) will do it. There is nothing that cannot happen with Trump. I don't know if this will happen. We have to hope and we have to encourage him," he added.

But despite mounting global concern over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, the United States continues to back "Israel" diplomatically, using its veto power at the UN Security Council and approving billions of dollars in arms sales.

Read more: Olmert: Netanyahu leading 'Israel' to disaster, resignations suggested

  • United States
  • Gaza Strip
  • Palestine
  • Israel
  • US
  • Gaza genocide
  • Benjamin Netanyahu
  • Gaza
  • Ehud Olmert
  • Donald Trump

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