Heavy losses and continuous displacement…the truth about Israel’s losses from the confrontation with Hezbollah | Policy

Occupied Jerusalem- Eight months have passed since the ongoing military confrontation with Hezbollah, and the Israeli government is unable to provide security for the residents of the Upper and Western Galilee and the northern region, amid mounting criticism of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, and accusations against his army of failing to resolve the battle and being unable to bring about a ceasefire.

The wave of displacement of Israelis from the border towns and settlements with Lebanon continues, and with it the heavy losses continue due to damage to property, infrastructure, and commercial, economic, and agricultural projects.

Since the outbreak of the war, Hezbollah has fired more than 3,000 missiles towards Israel, and dozens of settlements whose residents were evacuated have been severely damaged.

Exit without return

The Northern Horizon Directorate of the Israeli Ministry of Security recorded the destruction of 930 homes and buildings that were completely damaged by Hezbollah fire. From 86 settlements in the northern regions, 70,000 Israelis, who constitute most of their population, were displaced, while 25 soldiers and civilians were killed, and hundreds were injured of varying degrees since the beginning of the confrontation on the northern front.

Large damages and losses were also caused to homes, in addition to fields, farms, and poultry and cow raising projects, as a result of Hezbollah missiles, while the movement of Israeli army armored vehicles caused about a quarter of the damage, especially to roads and infrastructure projects.

Security officials estimate that residents of the settlements that suffered severe damage will not be able to return to their homes until a year after the end of the fighting, due to the need to restore the damage resulting from the confrontation with Hezbollah, according to what Israeli Channel 12 reported.

Moshe Davidovich, head of the Regional Council in the Metia Asher region and head of the Front Line Forum, said, “The Israeli settlements in the north are neglected, the infrastructure is destroyed, homes are demolished, and the settlements on the border fence with Lebanon are in a catastrophic situation.”

Israeli Channel 12 quoted Davidovich also saying that there are entire communities that will not be able to return to their towns at the end of the war. He said, “We in the council estimate that the number may reach 4 settlements whose residents cannot return to them.”

He explained that there are attempts to provide solutions within the Council’s territories, “but the reality here is unbearable: alarms, missiles, anti-tank weapons, interceptors, and fire. In short, the area is unlivable,” as he described it.

The head of the Regional Council criticized various Israeli institutions, and accused the government of abandoning providing protection many years ago, stressing that fortifying the settlements along the front line again will take a very long time, “and this is another thing that will make it difficult for residents to return to their homes due to the lack of shelters.”

Davidovich concluded based on this that there are already a good number of families along the front line who will not return to their homes even if the settlements are restored. He said, “People raised their hands and decided to move from this place,” and after nearly 8 months of war, no The Israeli government gives them no prospect or hope of being able to return to their homes.

Claims and compensation

As the war continued and the bombing intensified, lawsuits for partial compensation for the damage to the settlements in the north and Upper Galilee were opened, amounting to about 2,400 cases against the Israeli Tax Authority, which works in coordination with the Ministry of Security.

The tax authority has paid 44 million shekels ($12 million) so far to residents whose homes were damaged, while hundreds of private compensation claims are still being processed, and hundreds of similar cases are expected, according to the Globes economic newspaper.

The newspaper also quoted the Director of the Compensation Fund at the Israeli Tax Authority, Amir Dahan, as saying that since the outbreak of the war, its Compensation Fund has paid about 13.9 billion shekels ($3.8 billion) in compensation for general damages in various civil, agricultural, commercial and economic fields.

Dahan adds that when the losses and the extent of the damage in the northern, upper and western Galilees are looked at, it can be realized that payments will continue, and it is not possible to estimate the value of the final compensation for private property and homes, which may reach 5 billion shekels ($1.4 billion).

The Israeli official added that the event has not ended, and that the estimated amount of direct damage to private property and homes so far amounts to 2.5 billion shekels throughout the country, while indirect damage is estimated at 20 billion shekels. He said, “We also have to restore the north, where there is infrastructure that was completely destroyed, and this is an event that will remain with us for a long time.”

From the beginning of the confrontation on the northern front until May 2024, 535 requests were submitted by the northern regional councils to the Israeli Ministry of Security, to obtain compensation for the damage to housing and infrastructure of many settlements in the north due to the activities of the Israeli army.

The Calcalist economic newspaper reported that local authorities and residents were compensated, with a total amount of about two million shekels ($555,000), while the amount of damage covered by these requests was estimated at about one billion shekels ($28 million).

The newspaper’s correspondent, Yuval Azoulay, says that at the beginning of the war, most of the citizens living in 86 settlements were evacuated to remote shelters, due to the security services’ fear of a possible invasion by Hezbollah’s Radwan Force to try to control it, similar to the attack carried out by Hamas on July 7. October 2023.

The Israeli journalist added that the Ministry of Security has evacuated more than 70,000 Israelis from their homes in the north and Galilee, and there is no date for their return on the horizon, as long as the war in Gaza continues, and Israel has no interest in opening a more intense fighting front against Hezbollah at the same time.