[News] Israel's Ben Gvir calls for abducting Lebanese 'women and youth' to pressure Hezbollah

[Anti-Imperialist News]

middleeasteye.net
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israels-ben-gvir-proposes-arresting-lebanese-women-and-youth-pressure-hezbollah>
Israel's Ben Gvir calls for abducting Lebanese 'women and youth' to
pressure Hezbollah
Mera Aladam
June 9, 2026
------------------------------

Minister makes suggestion during a security cabinet meeting, where several
officials backed escalating the war on Lebanon
[image: Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir speaks to press
in Jerusalem, 15 April, 2026 (Ronen Zvulun/Reuters)]

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir speaks to press in
Jerusalem, 15 April 2026 (Ronen Zvulun/Reuters)

Published date: 9 June 2026 12:32 BST | Last update: 3 hours 31 secs ago

Israel's  <https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/israel>National Security
Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has called for the seizure of Lebanese
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/lebanon>“women and youth” to exert
pressure on Hezbollah.

The far-right minister proposed
<https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-898784>
the idea during a security cabinet meeting on Tuesday, where officials
supported expanding the assault in Lebanon.

"Let's start thinking outside the box about Hezbollah," Ben Gvir said.

"Conquering territory and killing many terrorists, but also detaining their
women and youth and taking them to terrorist prisons," he added.

"That's what hurts them the most."

Since the 2024 war, Israeli forces have abducted several Lebanese
civilians. The exact number remains unknown.

They are among 1,316 people <https://hamoked.org/prisoners-charts.php>currently
held under the “unlawful combatant” law, including Palestinians from Gaza
and Syria nationals.

Detainees held under this legislation - originally enacted in 2002 to
detain Lebanese citizens not under Israeli jurisdiction for indefinite,
renewable periods - do not have formal indictments against them.

<https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/lebanon-rulers-surrendered-country-israel-this-is-no-ceasefire>

Lebanon’s rulers have surrendered the country to Israel - this is no
ceasefire

Read More »
<https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/lebanon-rulers-surrendered-country-israel-this-is-no-ceasefire>

Rights groups have described this legislation as a flagrant violation of
international law. It allows Israeli authorities to detain individuals
without a court order or access to legal representation as well as withhold
information about their whereabouts and conditions.

Despite a US ceasefire announcement in Lebanon, Israeli bombing has not
ceased.

Israeli officials have called for escalating the attacks further and
increasing the defence budget during the latest security cabinet meeting.

Israeli minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf called on Finance Minister Bezalel
Smotrich to "open his pockets " for the military and its artillery.

Defence Minister Israel Katz endorsed the demands, saying: "The prime
minister made an important decision to attack, and we must expand the
armaments even further."

Lebanon's Defence Minister Michel Menassa said earlier this week that
Israel carried out approximately 3,500 attacks and hundreds of controlled
explosions since the 17 April so-called ceasefire announced by the US.

Around 1.2 million people have been displaced nationwide as a result.

Israeli forces have also killed at least 3,637  people since the latest
assault began in March, including over 800 since the 17 April so-called
ceasefire, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

At least 34 Israelis have died from Hezbollah attacks since March, mostly
soldiers, including 18 killed since 17 April.

Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis
of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about
republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this *form
<https://middleeasteye.net/form/mee-syndication>*. More about MEE can be
found *here <https://middleeasteye.net/about-middle-east-eye>*.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://freedomarchives.org/pipermail/news_freedomarchives.org/attachments/20260609/bb12ee7b/attachment.htm>