Mayors in northern Israel warn of growing Hezbollah threat toward border communities
They say Hezbollah has been increasingly able to act with impunity along the border
Mayors of northern Israeli border communities warned on Sunday of the growing threat from the Lebanese Iranian-backed terror organization, Hezbollah, which maintains a strong presence across the border in Lebanon.
The mayors told the Ynet news outlet that Hezbollah has been increasingly able to act with impunity along the border, even claiming that the powerful terror group violated Israeli sovereignty next to the border.
Moshe Davidovitz, one regional council mayor, said the new security situation was increasingly challenging for the local Israeli residents.
"The situation forced upon us in the past year is one we have not known in the past," Davidovitz said.
"Hezbollah is violating all previous agreements pertaining to the border. We've seen katyusha rocket fire, tents being erected inside Israeli territory and members of the Lebanon-based terror group attempting to disrupt the military in its operations. The defense of our residents is compromised at the moment," he warned.
"The First and most significant thing right now is to understand that Israel's sovereignty on the northern border has been compromised and what we need is adequate shelters for residents of the north. Protection. There is no question that war is coming, the only thing we do not know is when," he added.
Israeli media revealed in late June that Hezbollah illegally established an armed encampment on the Israeli side of the Lebanese-Israeli border. The Jewish state has so far preferred to resolve with a diplomatic solution with the intervention of the United Nations. However, Hezbollah has refused to vacate the post and return to Lebanese territory.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.