Upper al-Jalil council chief urges return of Israeli settlers to north
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The head of the Israeli Upper Galilee Council urges the government to act in order to return northern Israeli settlers to their settlements.
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A damaged Israeli occupation forces vehicle lies in a field in northern occupied Palestine near the Lebanon border, on December 6, 2024. (AP)
The head of the Upper Galilee Regional Council in occupied Palestine, Giora Zaltz, called on the Israeli government and military to facilitate the immediate return of northern settlers to their homes.
Zaltz stressed Sunday that this matter "must be addressed immediately," adding "Those who do not return next month will not return until the end of the year, and this way, we will lose an entire year in the north."
He further stated, "If the situation in the north does not allow for the return to homes, the government must declare this openly."
This appeal comes approximately two weeks after Zaltz criticized what he described as a significant failure in addressing the needs of northern settlers. Speaking to the Israeli Channel 12, he noted that "Israel is experiencing an indescribable failure, with no clear responsibility or budget allocated to address issues concerning the residents of the north."
During the interview, Zaltz highlighted that 65% of the settlers, roughly 200,000 individuals, have been living "in a war zone for 15 months," underscoring the urgent need for assistance.
IOF operations commence
Israeli media reported Monday that the Israeli occupation forces have begun rehabilitation operations in northern occupied Palestinian settlements in preparation for the return of settlers, nearly a month after the ceasefire was reached.
The Israeli news site Walla confirmed that Israeli occupation forces are clearing areas used as gathering points during months of fighting, collecting military equipment, debris, and waste, and working on rehabilitating the settlements since the ceasefire was declared.
Additionally, the Israeli occupation forces have started a process of cleaning and clearing the northern settlements, with engineering teams and additional forces deployed across more than 40 settlements and the areas used for gathering.
This comes as Guy Biron, a correspondent for Israeli Channel 12 in the north, reported that Israelis were not accepting the security situation presented by the Israeli occupation forces. Despite government incentives and support, only a few settlers have returned. Biron also noted that looking ahead, the situation does not appear promising, with about 33% of northern settlers not wanting to return at this time.
Avichai Stern, the mayor of the settlement of Kiryat Shmona, added that about 40% of the settlement's 22,000 residents have no plans to return.
