Occupied Jerusalem– The escalating security tension has returned on the northern front between the Israeli army and…Hizb allah To the forefront of the debate in Tel Aviv, where strong criticism was directed at the Israeli government, holding it responsible for the failure to restore security and safety, in light of the continued displacement of tens of thousands of Israelis from the border towns in the Upper Galilee.
In an attempt by the military establishment to alleviate criticism and accusations of military failure on the northern front facing Hezbollah, the Israeli army completed, on Tuesday, a maneuver simulating a large-scale attack on Lebanon.
Under the exercise, which lasted for several days, reserve soldiers from the “5030 Battalion” in the “228 Brigade” – in the presence of military correspondents from various Israeli media outlets – conducted an exercise simulating an attack in Lebanon. Correspondents believe that the maneuver carries within it a double message to the Israeli public, as well as to Hezbollah.
The commander of the Israeli army’s Northern Command, Major General Uri Gordin, told the soldiers while sending a message to Hezbollah, “The exercise is part of the importance of increasing our preparedness and readiness to expand the fighting and attack Lebanon. We are more prepared for this than we have ever been before, and ready to attack if we have to.” So”.
Gordin pointed out, “On October 7, we went to war in defense of our home and our homeland. Hundreds of thousands of the people of Israel were recruited to carry out this defensive mission, and even now, tens of thousands of soldiers are deployed to defend the northern borders of our country,” according to what He was quoted by Israel Today newspaper.
In a message addressed to the Israelis, especially the residents of the northern towns who criticize the army’s performance and accuse the government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu of failure, Gordin said that “there is still a lot that must be dealt with, in order to succeed in achieving the desired result of removing Hezbollah from the borders and improving the situation.” Security, so that we can return the residents of the north to their homes.”
Security escalation
But on the ground, and contrary to the maneuvers and statements of the military, when reports appeared on social media about Hezbollah firing rocket shells at a house in the “Kfar Yuval” border settlement, Amnon Avraham’s phone almost broke down due to the large number of calls. Avraham (the owner of a chicken farm) said: “I received hundreds of phone calls and messages from family and friends, who were worried about my safety and were sure I was infected.”
Speaking to Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, Avraham recounted the reasons that prompted him to stay on his farm despite the escalation in security tension and the risk of being hit by missiles launched from Lebanon, saying: “They want me to leave, but if I leave, where will I cover the 200,000 shekels ($55,000)?” The cost of the poultry and food you bought for them?”
In light of the security escalation on the border with Lebanon and the exchange of bombing between the Israeli army and Hezbollah, Avraham only leaves his door twice a day, looks anxiously at the Lebanese village overlooking it, and runs to the nearby chicken farm to collect eggs.
Avraham raises 5,000 chickens, and collects eggs daily to cover the cost of the agricultural season and his debts, pointing out that there are 30 farmers who were forced to stay on farms adjacent to the border out of hundreds of farmers who preferred to flee, saying that “his neighbor Eliyahu Ayalon, who was forced to stay on the farm, was injured this week.” His house was hit by an anti-missile, and his wife, Mira, and son, Barak, were killed.”
Life death
According to Avraham, “Israel has imposed this situation on me and everyone else. The government is sending us to die, as it has not promised any solutions, nor has it pledged to pay full compensation for losses to farmers as a result of the security escalation on the northern border that has been ongoing for more than 3 months.”
This reality, which Avraham narrated, was evident during the funeral of Mira and her son Barak – who were killed by an anti-tank missile shell fired from southern Lebanon – and they were buried in a small funeral in Kfar Yuval, and the funeral ceremony was held in a place far from the Lebanese border, so that their relatives could bid them farewell without fear. .
In the Israeli towns on the Lebanese border, Adi Hashmoni, Haaretz’s correspondent in the north, says, “Residents in the border areas and the Upper Galilee feel that Hassan Nasrallah is the one who determines when and where they can bury their loved ones, the number of funeral participants and the date of the burial.”
Surreal funeral
With the arrival of evening, the funeral ceremony ended, far from the borders and security tension. For his part, Yoram Makhlouf (security officer in Kfar Yuval) says with frustration: “The bereaved family waited for the army’s permission to go to the cemetery to bury their loved ones under the cover of darkness, and only 10 people with protective vests and helmets were allowed for the burial.”
Haaretz quoted the security officer as saying, “It is unacceptable, beyond imagination. We cannot even hold a funeral properly. It is sad for a family to have to bury the mother and son in a limited ceremony that Nasrallah determines for us.”
This surreal funeral, says the security officer, “was a reminder of the unimaginable reality for the grieving families in the border settlements. In their most difficult times, they are being asked to pull together, contain the dangers and line up, according to the security restrictions that have already kept them away from their homes for months.”
Security threat
This reality, experienced by tens of thousands of residents of the Israeli border settlements, indicates that Hezbollah wants to keep the northern sector an active combat zone, according to the reading of the military correspondent for the newspaper “Maariv” Tal Lev Ram, despite the fact that the Israeli army has raised the level of military operations against Hezbollah.
The military correspondent explained that Israel aimed to escalate the bombing and raids on southern Lebanon to point out the Secretary-General of the Lebanese Hezbollah Hassan NasrallahIt also takes into account the possibility of further escalation in the Lebanese arena that may lead to a real war in the northern arena.
AndTUnder popular pressure, and in light of the Israeli public’s skepticism about the statements of the political echelon that Hezbollah has become deterred, The military correspondent is not excluded For the Israeli army to expand its operations and raids deep into Lebanon, pointing out that Israel cannot allow itself a situation in which the residents of the northern border and the western Galilee live under the constant security threat from Lebanon.
It is believed that Hezbollah seeks to record military achievements in the region Shebaa Farms Against the Israeli army, in light of the faltering diplomatic mediation to reach a settlement on the border in the north. The correspondent expects that Israel will respond, perhaps by escalating another level of attacks against Hezbollah’s targets, to prevent it from achieving any achievements in the Shebaa Farms.