Israeli Defense Forces have dismantled large protective barriers that were put in place about a year ago along major traffic routes near Kiryat Shmona, extending to Metula and Kfar Yuval on the northern border. This decision seems linked to the decreased threat of direct anti-tank missile attacks following military operations in southern Lebanon, especially over the past month.
Barriers removed
(Video: Yair Kraus)
Mayor Avichai Stern of Kiryat Shmona voiced strong concerns over the timing of this decision.
"Why take them down now? They should be removed after the conflict is truly over. What’s the rush? It feels like a hasty move, signaling to residents that it’s safe to return home," he said. Stern is worried that, while the army claims to have destroyed nearby terror infrastructures, the threat from more distant villages, which could still launch anti-tank missiles, remains unaddressed.
He emphasizes that these concrete walls were installed as a protective measure when the military was not present in Lebanon. Although Stern understands the rationale behind their removal, he stresses that, for residents, these walls represent the necessary defense against Hezbollah forces just across the border. He expressed a personal wish to live in a city without these "ugly defensive walls," but insisted they should only be removed when there is absolute certainty they are no longer needed.
Stern suspects political pressures might be pushing the IDF to wrap up operations in Lebanon, achieving only a temporary distancing of Hezbollah. He also fears a potential agreement that allows Hezbollah to regroup, which he believes should not be permitted.
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