Former Energy Ministry director general and ex-Budget Department chief Shaul Meridor will lead, on behalf of Gideon Sa'ar? No, on behalf of Gadi Eisenkot’s Yesh! with Eisenkot party, the work to formulate a plan to rehabilitate, strengthen and revive northern Israel.
On Tuesday, Meridor toured communities in the Upper Galilee and Kiryat Shmona with reserve Maj. Gen. Tal Russo as part of drafting an action plan for the region. He met with the management of the Upper Galilee agricultural company, researchers, farmers, dairy producers, community leaders, business owners and tourism figures, and heard about the main problems facing residents since the war, including gaps in protective infrastructure, the need to rebuild agriculture and tourism, strengthen the regional economy, support demographic growth and deal with the effects of the prolonged evacuation.
In Kiryat Shmona, Meridor met local business owners and professionals and discussed the challenge of bringing residents back, reviving local commerce and restoring security and certainty to the city and the wider area.
The party said the need for security, rebuilding and strengthening the north, alongside a basic duty to citizens, led it to set the north, together with the south, as a central short-term priority, in a way that will be felt in every town and home. It said it will continue working with local authorities and communities, and that Meridor’s visits are part of a series of meetings across the north in recent weeks. The comprehensive plan is expected to be presented to the public in the coming weeks. Meridor said that for nearly three years northern residents have paid a heavy price across all aspects of life, while the government failed to provide a vision and response. He said the goal is to prioritize the region’s recovery, allocate resources and turn the crisis into an opportunity, with concrete steps that will produce quick results for residents and their children.
