David Azulay urges Netanyahu to declare Israel is not bound by the Lebanon clause in the US-Iran agreement, as reports in Lebanon say a vehicle was struck near Nabatieh and southern authorities tell residents to delay their returnHis remarks came as Lebanese media reported Monday morning that a vehicle had been struck in the Nabatieh area, while local authorities in southern Lebanon called on residents to delay their return. Later, Netanyahu reportedly told Trump that Israel does not consider itself bound by the Lebanon clause in the emerging agreement with Iran.In an interview with the ynet studio Monday, Azulay said residents of the north had again woken up to sounds of fighting.2 View gallery Head of Metula Council David Azulay (Photo: Efi Shrir)“We woke up this morning to the sounds of gunfire and explosions. That is part of peace,” Azulay said. “It saddens me that we are once again falling into this trap. It saddens me that the prime minister is not acting in the interest of the citizens of the State of Israel. It saddens me because of the prices we paid, ultimately for no purpose. We are going from round to round and, in my humble opinion, we are now in a much worse situation in the north than we were before October 7.”Azulay said Hezbollah has been rearming and returning to its previous patterns, and called for Israel to continue operating in Lebanon.“They are now arming themselves and returning to their old ways,” he said. “We need to end the story with Hezbollah once and for all. Remember, we have almost no disputes with the Lebanese people. Even in this agreement between Iran and the U.S., Lebanon does not say a word. I hope the prime minister comes to his senses, although I find that hard to believe.”Azulay said the IDF should continue operating in Lebanon regardless of the U.S. position.“The IDF must operate 24 hours a day, in the air, at sea and on land,” he said. “At the same time, instead of holding talks thousands of kilometers from here, bring the talks here and raise the level of the talks. The whole world wants Hezbollah to disappear from the map.”2 View gallery Destruction in Nabatieh (Photo: REUTERS/Stringer)Doron Shneper, spokesperson for the Kiryat Shmona municipality and a resident of the city, also criticized the agreement, warning that any funds reaching Iran would fuel Hezbollah’s buildup.“This is what happens when agreements are signed with terror,” Shneper told ynet. “The money will become missiles, drones, Hezbollah’s strengthening and the next war. Who will pay the price? Me and my children.”“One missile that we fired at a building in Dahieh shook the entire world,” he said. “It is clear that we are being prevented from taking action. We are entering a difficult period. Another blow was needed to finish this story. We brought them back to life. It took them a day or two, and they bombed the north and Haifa. This is a bad agreement for the world, a good agreement for Iran and a catastrophic agreement for Israel.”Shneper drew a comparison to money transfers to Hamas before the October 7 massacre and warned that the north could face a similar threat.“We saw what happened with the suitcases of money to Hamas,” he said. “Starting tomorrow, the suitcases of money move from Gaza to Iran, and there they are planning the next October 7 for the north. This broadcast is being recorded: October 7 is approaching the north in huge steps.”According to Israeli officials, Netanyahu also told Trump that Israel would not withdraw from Lebanon, that the IDF would remain in its current positions and that it would continue acting to thwart the Hezbollah threat, including destroying terror infrastructure and responding to any attack on Israel.The position received full backing from ministers during a Cabinet meeting, with ministers understanding that Israel is standing firm on its interests on the issue.Meanwhile, Israel’s assessment overnight between Sunday and Monday was that Iran had decided to “close the event” and refrain from attacking Israel following pressure from the Americans and mediators.