'Weak' Israeli government 'has forgotten the North': Israeli media

By Al Mayadeen English
5 Sep 2024 23:44

As the war on the northern front rages on, northern Israeli settlers under Hezbollah's fire express their despair and disapproval of their government and prime minister.

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Damage to apartments from rockets fired by Hezbollah in Kiryat Shmona, northern occupied Palestine, on the border with Lebanon, Thursday, February 29, 2024 (AP)

"The Israeli policy in the north is one of remission rather than containment," Israeli Channel 12 said, clarifying that the Israeli occupation government allows Hezbollah to do whatever it wishes.

In a discussion with the mayor of the Margaliot settlement, Israeli journalist Almog Boker recalled the false preemptive Israeli attack that preceded Hezbollah's response, saying "Rather than taking advantage of the situation and disintegrating Hezbollah, we have, once again, gone backward."

The Margaliot mayor, Eitan Davidi, on his part, reaffirmed that the settlement is completely empty and has been abandoned for 11 months.

According to Davidi, "Over the past 11 months, we have forgotten the prime minister, because he has done nothing to alter the equation or change reality, while we're spread from the north to the south and everywhere else, without any expectations to go back to Margaliot or Kiryat Shmona."

"This weak and incompetent government," he added, "has forgotten the North."

Meanwhile, Channel 12's correspondent in the occupied north said the Israeli occupation forces were attacking but remained far from decisiveness, noting that "On the field, it is non-stop fire from the Lebanese side."

The state of Israeli settlers

The correspondent further stated that hundreds of thousands of Israeli settlers are wondering how to go about their day amid Hezbollah's constant operations, noting that they reside in vast areas and have to go to fortified shelters or locations every day.

"The feeling of despair has been accompanying them lately, particularly in the most recent days."

Under the title of "Scorching Summer", Channel 12 released statistics showing that attacks toward the occupied north have multiplied by four since the beginning of the year, detailing that in January, 334 operations were recorded, while 1307 were carried out in August.

In the same context, the Israeli Walla website said, "Everyone is discussing the Philadelphi Corridor, but no one mentions Kiryat Shmona."

It further added that "While the issue of the Israeli presence in Gaza is extensively discussed, the Upper Galilee remains under attack."

Citing settlers from Kiryat Shmona, the website said "This is a difficult image, we do not know when we'll return or what life would look like here."