The head of the Upper Galilee Council, Giora Zaltz, strongly criticized the Israeli government’s performance in dealing with the “security crisis” in the north.
In an interview with the Hebrew radio station 103FM on Friday morning, Zaltz said that there was a failure to take the necessary decisions, which led to the displacement of about 100,000 settlers from their homes over the past year.
He added: “We have two options: either a military operation or an agreement. We have to make the decision and act, because every day that passes we lose another part of the north, and time is not on our side.”
Zaltz pointed out that the security situation in the north has deteriorated significantly, as the actual Israeli border has moved 40 kilometers south from the original border.
He added: “These official visits and government statements are worthless. We need actions, not words.”
He also spoke about the ‘great suffering’ of the people of the north, saying: ‘We must understand the great suffering of 100,000 citize
ns who were displaced from their homes, in addition to 200,000 others who live under the threat of missiles, drones and constant warnings, and their children are forced daily to take shelter on the ground.’
Zaltz recalled that the government had announced four months ago a plan to allocate 3.5 billion shekels to the north this year, and the same amount next year, but nothing has been implemented yet.
“None of the ministries that were allocated budgets have started implementing the plan. The government is the party responsible for implementation, so it must start moving,” he said.
Zeltz warned that the future of the northern region depends largely on how this war ends.
“Ultimately, there will be an agreement, whether after a military operation or without one, and if the agreement after a military operation is similar to what could be achieved without it, I’m not sure the price we’ll pay will be justified,” he said.
Zelz concluded his speech by stressing the importance of taking decisive and quick decision
s, not only on the security side, but also with regard to the economy and infrastructure.
“Israel is not a given, and the question is what do we do about it? We have to make decisions and implement them, regardless of what happens in the West Bank or Gaza,” he added.
Source: Maan News Agency