Residents of the north sent a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, specifying their concerns that following the extensive fighting in Lebanon they will have to return to their homes prematurely, before there is full security for all those living on the Lebanese border.
They opened their letter by thanking the PM for including the north in the goals of the war, “We have been demanding this for more than six months. The goal has brought with it dare and tactical military action and, with it, the return of Israel’s deterrence, which we lost on October 7th, but this is not enough.”
“We cannot return to our homes with tactical achievements only,” the residents continued. “Despite deterring Hezbollah, after the intense and surprising attacks on its forces, the terrorist organization has not yet backed down from its desire to destroy, kidnap and occupy our homes and towns. Hezbollah will ask to postpone the war to a time of its choosing, and we will not agree to that. This is the purpose of the Lebanese terrorist army, the operational arm of the head of the snake sitting in Iran.'
They wrote that more than ever they fear that, "we will shortly receive a message to return to our homes, after Israel has reached international understandings regarding the northern sector. We wish to inform you that if the war is stopped prematurely, without entry of the ground forces, the clearing of the area and the restoration of security to the north, we will not be returning to our homes." We are no longer satisfied with a 'sense of security' and we will no longer wait for the misconception of military campaigns between the wars. The Israeli government does not currently, nor does it at any time, have a mandate to inflict such a crime on the residents of the north, who have been evicted from their homes for almost a year."
They stated that this is their position, “for the sake of Israel's security. They regard the situation in the north as an existential threat. Without an intense war in Lebanon, the evacuation from our homes for about a year will be in vain, the significant tactical achievements we achieved, will be in vain, and you cannot expect us to return to the Galilee, where we will be threatened more than ever.'
In conclusion they wrote: "Ending the war with a political arrangement at this time, without an intense war will have repercussions for generations and will not stand up to any test of reality."