Mayor of Kiryat Shmona Criticizes Government Over Civilian Safety

(MENAFN) The mayor of Kiryat Shmona, a northern Israeli settlement, has criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government for failing to safeguard residents amid the ongoing war, claiming that Israel, rather than Hezbollah, is the force “fighting” him.

Avichai Stern addressed a forum of government ministry officials on Wednesday, saying the state has not offered sufficient protection for civilians living near the Lebanese border.

“It doesn’t matter how we end the war in Lebanon or Iran. If we lose a city inside Israel, it will be the first time that happens,” Stern said, according to reports.

He noted that roughly 10,000 residents remain in Kiryat Shmona and questioned their ability to withstand current conditions.

“You expect them to stay in this grim reality for a month, or you don’t even know how long. Do you think they will remain there?” he asked.

Since March 2, Hezbollah has fired rockets and deployed drones toward northern Israeli settlements, responding to what it calls renewed Israeli strikes on Lebanon, parts of which have been occupied by Israel for decades.

Stern also warned that evacuating residents would be a strategic mistake, giving the enemy a symbolic win.

“They tell me it would be a victory for Hezbollah if people are evacuated. I think its victory would be if a city in Israel disappears, not if residents leave,” he said.

MENAFN26032026000045017640ID1110909296