One Arab country reportedly advised another to reach an agreement with Israel as a tactical move, use it to lull Israel into complacency and prepare in parallel for a larger military confrontation, according to reports published Monday by Kan News and Channel 12. The recommendation was reportedly to later violate the agreement when conditions were more favorable for a confrontation with Israel.

The contacts took place in recent months, according to the reports, but neither country can currently be identified because of Israeli censorship restrictions. Channel 12 reported that the information had been held by the military censor for months before publication was permitted. The identities and seniority of the officials involved also remain unclear.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir seized on the revelation to argue against relying on regional agreements. “Behind all these misconception-driven agreements are lies and deception. They are intended to lull us to sleep ahead of the next blow,” he said. Ben-Gvir added that Israel’s response to its enemies should be “force, determination and total victory — without agreements and without mercy.”

Eyal Tsir Cohen, a former head of the Mossad’s Tevel Division, which handles the agency’s international relationships, offered a more cautious warning. “Any agreement with a country in the region must take into account that its internal political reality is fragile,” he said, warning that Israel’s reliance on a neighboring government’s current interests could eventually “turn against you.”