Following the deaths of five IDF soldiers in fighting in southern Lebanon over the weekend, Eitan Davidi, chairman of Moshav Margaliot, described the security situation in northern Israel and the strain on residents living near the border. In an interview with Benny Teitelbaum on Kan Morashat, he sent condolences to the bereaved families and called the fallen soldiers “heroes” who have been doing difficult work for a long time.
Davidi said that for communities on the fence line, the war in southern Lebanon is not a distant event but part of daily life. “Border communities are only a few hundred meters from southern Lebanon,” he said. “For us, the north and southern Lebanon have become one arena.” He added that the American approach in the region worries him because it limits Israel’s freedom of action in Lebanon. In his view, since some military moves were halted, Israel has become more constrained. “We see an army that is in a more static mode and less in initiative,” he said, warning that forces left static for too long also become more vulnerable.
He also criticized the ceasefire arrangements, arguing that pressure on Hezbollah should have been maintained longer to create a more meaningful strategic result. Davidi said Lebanon and Hezbollah’s activity there cannot be fully separated, and that Israel should have intensified pressure on Lebanon to create internal mechanisms that would curb the group. “We did not want to conquer Lebanon,” he said, “but yes, to create a reality in which the other side understands that there is a price.”
Toward the end of the interview, Davidi said terror organizations must not be allowed to recover after being hit militarily. He warned the government about exhaustion among northern residents, saying some families can no longer bear the situation and that more people are leaving. “The north is not only for the residents of the north, it is the responsibility of the State of Israel,” he said, calling for a decisive outcome that would let people return to safety and routine.
