Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that reports of an imminent ceasefire with Lebanon have caused great frustration among residents of northern Israel, who fear that a potential agreement in this regard may allow Hezbollah to reorganize itself, and thus threaten their security and safety.
These fears came against the backdrop of a statement made by an American official yesterday, Monday, in which he confirmed that “a ceasefire in Lebanon is imminent.”
The Israeli newspaper reported that the mayor of Kiryat Shmona, Avichai Stern, expressed strong opposition to the deal that was revealed, and urged Israeli leaders to reconsider it.
“Before signing what appears to be a surrender agreement, I call on our leaders to look into the eyes of the children of Kiryat Shmona and think about their future,” Stern said.
He added that this agreement makes an attack similar to the Al-Aqsa flood “closer” to occurring in northern Israel. He asked, “How did we move from comprehensive victory to complete surrender? Why don’t we finish what we started? We crushed Hezbollah, and instead of completely dismantling it, we give it the opportunity to recover. And what will our residents return to? A destroyed city with no security and no future? This is madness.”
Stern: Before signing what appears to be a surrender agreement, I call on our leaders to look into the eyes of the children of Kiryat Shmona and think about their future.
In turn, Moshe Davidovich, head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council in the Western Galilee, launched a violent attack on the potential ceasefire agreement. He said in an interview with the newspaper, “I ask myself whether I am living in a dream or an illusion, or whether the decision-makers in the Israeli government are the ones who are delusional,” describing the proposal of the agreement as a farce and an insulting matter.
He warned that the consequences of the agreement would fall entirely on the shoulders of government leaders. He denounced their failure to strengthen the northern shelters or provide sufficient anti-missile rooms, adding that these were reckless, unprofessional and unsafe decisions.
He said that the people of the north are the state’s “protective jacket” and are the ones paying the price. In response to a question about discussions with Israeli military officials, Davidovich revealed worrying developments in southern Lebanon in recent days. He said that what these officials discovered, only 4 or 5 kilometers inside Lebanon, “is very disturbing, and something that did not happen a year, 6 months, or even a month ago, but rather happened recently,” without revealing more details.
David Shmuel, a resident of the Nahariya settlement in northwestern Israel whose house was bombed by Hezbollah missiles last Sunday, described the situation in his area as difficult and unbearable, adding, “There has been no life for a year now… and you cannot go anywhere.” Or going out freely, not even doing something simple like exercising outside the house.”
Politicians from across the spectrum also criticized the proposed agreement. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir described it as a “historic missed opportunity to eliminate Hezbollah” and a “serious mistake,” although he claimed to understand the “restrictions and pretexts” that prompted this.
Likud MK Amit Halevy also expressed his reservations, specifically targeting US envoy Amos Hochstein, who was said to have set a deadline for the two sides to complete the agreement or face his withdrawal from the negotiations.
Israeli officials fear that such a withdrawal would lead to a problematic Security Council resolution imposing a ceasefire.
Israeli sources had confirmed that the American envoy threatened to withdraw from the mediation with Lebanon if there was no agreement within days.
For his part, Likud Knesset member Dan Illouz expressed his concerns, describing reports of an imminent agreement with Hezbollah as “very worrying.”
Yedioth Ahronoth reported that opposition leader Yair Lapid also expressed his reservations, while emphasizing the importance of a political solution.
As for the head of the “Israel Our Home” party, Avigdor Lieberman, he described the agreement as “unreasonable” because it did not demand that the Lebanese government disarm Hezbollah.
He added, “The Israeli leadership is still clinging to the same flawed mentality, and continues to live as if we were on October 6, and nothing had changed,” referring to the day before the Al-Aqsa flood.