Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas have all been significantly weakened since October 7, former strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer said Monday at United Hatzalah’s Annual New York Gala in Lower Manhattan, according to a Hebrew summary of his remarks.
Speaking at the Monday event, where he was honored with United Hatzalah’s Hero of Israel Award, Dermer addressed concerns over a possible Iran arrangement, the Hezbollah threat in Lebanon, US-Israel ties, and the Gaza hostage negotiations.
Dermer said that while he had heard “many fears and concerns” about a possible agreement with Iran, Israel should “take a step back” and assess the current strategic picture.
“Two and a half years ago, Iran posed an existential threat to Israel,” Dermer said. “Three years later, Iran’s nuclear capability has been destroyed.”
He said Iran’s remaining leverage was its enriched material, located in two deeply buried sites, while its ballistic capabilities had been set back by years. That, he said, gives Israel time to strengthen its defenses.
Dermer added that the current discussions should not be described as a nuclear deal, but rather as an effort to ease economic pressure internationally and, to some extent, on Iran.
“Within two or three weeks, we will know whether the Iranians are prepared to give up their nuclear program,” he said. “I doubt that will happen.”
Hezbollah no longer the force it was in 2023, Dermer says
Turning to Lebanon, Dermer said Hezbollah is no longer the force it was on October 7, though he warned that the organization still retains military capabilities.
“Hezbollah is maybe 25% of what it was before,” he said.
Dermer said defeating Hezbollah outright would require a force twice the size of the IDF, but stressed that Israel would not allow a terrorist organization to threaten its borders.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made clear that Israel will have to act to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding, Dermer said, adding that the Trump administration understands Israel’s position.
Dermer said the Middle East needs a power capable of projecting force, and that Israel is that power.
Israel a better ally for US than France, Britain
Responding to criticism from Tucker Carlson and others who argue that Israel acts against US interests, Dermer called the claim “absurd.”
“Israel is a better ally than France and Britain,” he said, adding that Israel is a major cyber power despite its small population.
Dermer said alliances ultimately rest on interests, not only values. Israel, he said, is important to American national security and national welfare.
On the Gaza hostage negotiations, Dermer said ministers had to balance the duty to bring hostages home with responsibility for the security of 10 million Israelis.
He said Hamas wanted negotiations to drag on for years, but that Israel’s decision to send forces into Gaza City was critical in securing the final phase of hostage releases, alongside diplomatic pressure from the Trump administration.
Dermer said Israel and the US had reached an unprecedented level of cooperation, bringing in regional actors including Qatar and Turkey.
“The war ended on Israel’s terms,” Dermer said. “The work is not over, and anyone who thinks Hamas will be allowed to keep leverage through hostages is fooling himself.”