The Yisrael! party, led by former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, says the northern border is one of its top national priorities. It has appointed Shaul Meridor, former director general of the Energy Ministry and former head of the Budget Department at the Finance Ministry, to lead its broad plan to rebuild and strengthen communities in the North.
As part of the planning process, Meridor toured communities in the Upper Galilee and Kiryat Shmona with retired Maj. Gen. Tal Russo. They held working meetings with the Upper Galilee Agriculture Company, researchers, farmers, dairy farmers, business owners and community managers in the area.
During the visit, Meridor heard about the severe problems created by the prolonged evacuation, including major gaps in civilian protection, the collapse of tourism and agriculture, and the need for new engines of growth. In Kiryat Shmona, he met local business owners who described economic hardship and uncertainty about what comes next.
Yisrael! says the plan will be presented to the public in the coming weeks and will include practical steps meant to be felt quickly in every home in the North. Meridor sharply criticized the government, saying the residents showed courage while the state failed them, and that the goal now is to turn the crisis into an opportunity.
