Hezbollah operations force closure of tens of northern settlements

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
25 Dec 2023 12:15
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The "Kiryat Shmona" municipality announces the closure of kibbutzim and moshavs 3.5 km deep into occupied territories, in light of the security situation.

Israeli occupation soldiers stand guard at an Israeli kibbutz near "Kiryat Shmona", in occupied al-Jalil Panhandle, on October 30, 2023. (AFP)

The "Kiryat Shmona" municipality has announced the complete closure of several settlements alongside the Lebanese-Palestinian border.

The municipality's spokesperson told settlers that all entrances toward "Kiryat Shmona" will be closed for the entry of vehicles on Monday, December 25, until further notice.

The spokesperson said the decision comes in light of a recent security assessment "that had just been completed."

The Israeli official said the decision will also encompass settlers in "Snir", "Dan", "Dafna", "Maayan Baruch", "Kfar Yuval", "Kfar Giladi", "Gosherim", "Beit Hillel", and "Metulla" in the occupied al-Jalil Panhandle. Moreover, kibbutzim and moshavs across from the coast of northern occupied Palestine to the furthermost settlement in al-Jalil have also been closed off to Israeli settlers.

This includes, "Margaliot", "Menara", "Yiftah", "Ramot Naftali", "Dishon", and "Avivim", among other settlements and areas.

"Please do not go to these places," the statement concluded.

Settlers sick of failing policy

Israeli media outlets said authorities have restricted the movement of settlers in areas located 3.5 km away from the Israeli line of withdrawal.

Moreover, an Israeli Telegram channel concerned with local affairs said authorities have restricted the movement of settlers, saying, "Exit is only allowed for urgent humanitarian cases, such as transferring a pregnant woman to the hospital for childbirth," but only if the concerned party is able to acquire approval from the Israeli military.

In this context, the correspondent for Israeli Channel 13 in the north said restrictive measures taken by Israeli authorities, in northern occupied territories, have angered settlers as the recently implemented measures include settlements that have not yet been evacuated.

Hezbollah distorts colonial utopia

Monday's announcement comes amid continued operations carried out against Israeli positions by the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah. The Lebanese Resistance faction has carried out multiple daily attacks in response to the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.

It is worth noting that "Israel" occupied Lebanese territories in al-Jalil Panhandle, the Kfar Shouba hills, and the entirety of the Lebanese Shebaa Farms. These factors alongside continuous Israeli crimes against Lebanese civilians have formed the umbrella under which Hezbollah legitimately resists Israeli occupation forces.

Alon Avitar, an Israeli expert on Palestinian affairs, said Hezbollah, deploying minimal effort, can paralyze the Israeli settler community in the entirety of northern occupied Palestine, adding that the Lebanese Resistance faction is capable of much more.

In the same context, the head of the Upper al-Jalil Regional Council, Giora Zeltz, shed light on collectively shared anxiety among settlers of the area, criticizing the Israeli war cabinet's handling of the situation at the northern front.