President Isaac Herzog and his wife concluded their two-day visit to northern Israel on Wednesday after which Herzog warned, "The international community cannot act surprised if the situation spirals out of control, as the international community has almost done nothing to contribute to the full security of the residents of Israel, despite repeated violations of treaties and international agreements from Lebanon by Hezbollah.”
During their visit, Herzog and his wife stayed in Safed, where they met with Mayor Yossi Kakon and local business owners who presented them with a situational assessment. Herzog also met with members of the local emergency response team in Kibbutz Hanita’s command center and commended them for their dedicated work.
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President Isaac Herzog with members of Kibbutz Hanita's alert squad
(Photo: Maayan Tuaf, GPO)
The visit’s second day began with a morning prayer with Safed residents at the Ari Ashkenazi Synagogue, followed by a visit to the IDF Northern Command, where he met with its commander Major General Ori Gordin, received a broad operational briefing from intelligence officers, and spoke with soldiers serving in the command.
The president later met with members of the Conflict Zone Forum — which works to raise awareness for Israeli communities located close to fighting zones — in Jish, attended by 17 municipality heads. They discussed the current security and civil needs in their communities, along with their emotions and difficulties.
Herzog concluded his visit in Kibbutz Sde Nehemia, located 5 kilometers from the Israel-Lebanon border, where he visited, among other places, the kibbutz's kindergarten, which operates at full capacity as a symbol of continued routine even amid high tensions on the border.
Following the visit, Herzog said, “I remind all of Israel that the displaced, the evacuees, and all those who endure the fires and the flames are Jews, Muslims, Druze, and Christians alike. We are aware that all aspects of life here are challenged, and we are united in this battle. We came to offer strength to the communities, the home front, the residents, the evacuees, and those who remain here.”
"I call on the tax authorities and all the bodies involved in supporting small and medium businesses, and industrial enterprises to act much faster. We see small businesses collapsing because no one is giving them attention. If we want people to stay and not evacuate, we need to provide them with a strong home front.”
Herzog recently also visited Metula and highlighted the damage sustained in the community amid the war. "I’m saying this to you and to Metula’s residents with certainty – we’ll return here, to the final limits of the border. We’ll return and exercise our sovereignty through fulfilling lives. We’ll restore the houses, plant, build and bring everyone back to Metula and all the other northern communities."