Gov. abandoned north, failed to aid settlers: Israeli official
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The so-called Israeli State Comptroller slams the Israeli government for failing to support northern settlers during the war. Over half of evacuees suffer from PTSD, as business owners and students face crisis.
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A man looks at a damaged window of a house following an operation from Lebanon, in Akka, north Palestine, Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP)
In a stark assessment, Israeli State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman warned that the impact of the northern front in the so-called Operation Iron Sword war has been unprecedented in scope, severity, and duration for hundreds of thousands of settlers in the north.
Commenting on a report published by Channel 14 regarding the government's handling of the situation in northern settlements, Englman declared that the government had “failed to provide necessary solutions.”
He directly blamed the Prime Minister’s Office and its head for not fulfilling their basic responsibilities as outlined in two cabinet decisions. These included preparing a long-term rehabilitation plan for northern settlements and facilitating the return of evacuated settlers.
Englman added that Eliezer Marom, head of the implementation team who served in the role for five months, had been unable to carry out these tasks. “Given the severe and ongoing crisis they are facing, the residents deserve better and more effective governmental responses,” he stated.
He revealed that in November 2023, following visits to displacement hotels and discussions with evacuees from both the north and south, including affected business owners, he had sent a letter to Benjamin Netanyahu highlighting urgent deficiencies in civil preparedness, including the finance minister’s failure to draft an economic relief plan.
Englman further noted that a significant portion of business compensation payments were delayed, with some not approved until after audit procedures were completed, nearly two and a half months after the outbreak of the war.
Over half of evacuees suffer from PTSD
According to Yedioth Ahronoth, approximately 54% of settlers evacuated from the north are experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress.
The paper also reported that half of the parents of high school students in the north observed a decline in academic performance, while 27.3% of small business owners were considering abandoning operations in the region.
Northern settlements abandoned
The head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council described the comptroller’s report on northern towns as “extremely serious,” adding that “residents along the frontline, and the north in general, have been neglected.”
He concluded, “The government of Israel abandoned the Upper Galilee without a fight.”
A February report estimated that damage in Israeli settlements within the evacuated area in northern occupied Palestine amounts to approximately 9 billion shekels (over $2.5 billion), with around 2,900 buildings affected by Hezbollah fire from Lebanon, according to the Israeli Channel 14's website.
According to the plan presented by Likud Knesset member Ze'ev Elkin, who is responsible for overseeing the reconstruction of the north, direct damages are estimated at around 5.5 billion shekels, while indirect damages amount to 3.5 billion shekels.
Additionally, 103 educational institutions in the evacuated northern area, covering 43 settlements within 3.5 kilometers of the Lebanese-Palestinian border, sustained damage.
Among these settlements is Metulla, whose council head, David Azoulay, reiterated that it is impossible to receive settlers there, stating, "There is no place to return to."
