Israelis near Lebanon border who fled from clashes say will not return
3 Min Read
The heightened uncertainty is owed to the ongoing military operations conducted by Hezbollah along the border.
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Smoke rises from inside an IOF position which was hit by Hezbollah as seen from Tair Harfa village, a Lebanese border village with Palestine, south Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 20, 2023 (AP)
The head of the "Mateh Asher" Regional Council and chairman of the Confrontation Line Forum in northern occupied Palestine, Moshe Davidovich, stated on Sunday that 70,000 settlers, dispersed throughout the occupied territories, are awaiting clear responses from the regime regarding their potential return to settlements along the Lebanese border.
The heightened uncertainty is owed to the ongoing military operations conducted by Hezbollah along the border.
In an interview with Israeli newspaper Maariv, Davidovich said as long as Hezbollah remains in the north, it is unlikely for settlers to return to the area.
He also rejected the idea of settlements potentially turning into military zones.
"I spoke to individuals who have been evacuated, and they told me that they will not return to their homes on the northern border until their security is guaranteed from any risk of harm," he said.
Read more: Hezbollah's Russian P-800 Oniks missiles threaten US warships: Report
Davidovich pointed out that Hezbollah's Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah seems unaffected by statements issued by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of the Cabinet. He added that the Lebanese party has intensified the launch of rockets, drones, and anti-tank missiles along the border.
One settler, Vicky Tavareet, who came from Turkmenistan 32 years ago, told Maariv that she feels unprepared to come back to her settlement.
She clarified that her settlement is located only three meters away from the separation fence with Lebanon.
"Empty words"
Another settler, a former officer, Colonel Erez Bergman, who was evacuated with his family over a month ago from a settlement in the Upper Galilee, criticized Netanyahu's approach to the situation, noting that the latter's statements regarding "Israel's" deterrent against Hezbollah are "empty words."
"When I hear Netanyahu's words, I feel that nothing significant will happen to ensure security in the north, and we will have to return to a reality worse than what we have known before," he added.
Commenting on the military operations led by the resistance along the border, he said that Hezbollah has not given the impression that it has suffered any lethal blow so far, as was claimed by the Israeli cabinet.
On the contrary, he explained that "the ball is in their court; they are the ones to decide the intensity of fire exchanges."
He added that the presence of the Israeli army on the border is temporary, emphasizing that it is not a long-term solution.
Read more: Hezbollah announces new operations amid Israeli paralysis in north
