Kiryat Shmona Mayor Publicly Backs Netanyahu After Criticizing Government

Avichai Stern, the mayor of Kiryat Shmona, publicly declared his support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, just a week before the general election. Stern's endorsement came after he had previously criticized the government's handling of the security situation affecting his northern city.

During an event where Netanyahu inaugurated a new university campus in Kiryat Shmona, Stern expressed gratitude for the development, comparing it to the transformation of Be'er Sheva over the past few decades. "We are looking at what is being done here today and what is being done in the south, in Be'er Sheva, if we take it before 20-30 years, you decided to take it and establish a university, a train, a hospital there, today it is a metropolis of 250,000 people," Stern stated. Netanyahu, present at the event, called it a "holiday," emphasizing the realization of a long-held dream for Kiryat Shmona and its growth alongside the entire Galilee region.

Stern further elaborated on his support, envisioning Kiryat Shmona reaching over 100,000 residents due to current infrastructure projects, including new neighborhoods and a railway line. He expressed faith in Netanyahu's leadership, stating, "I believe in you and God willing, I believe that the people of Israel in exactly one week will understand how to do things correctly and who to vote for." Netanyahu responded with a call to vote for "Mahal," implying his Likud party.

Earlier on Tuesday, at a conference, Stern had highlighted the severe impact of the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah on Kiryat Shmona. He noted that the city's population had dwindled from approximately 26,000 before the war to about 16,000 currently, with 40% of residents not returning due to security concerns. Stern warned that as long as Hezbollah remains active, another conflict is inevitable.

When questioned about Netanyahu's visit so close to the election, Stern deflected political interpretations, calling it a "historic day" for the university and urging against turning it into a political event. He asserted that Kiryat Shmona residents are intelligent and grateful, not easily swayed. However, the article contrasts Stern's current stance with his more critical remarks during the war. In March, with only 10,000 residents remaining in the city, Stern had not received any visit or even a phone call from Netanyahu. He had previously demanded the government implement its decision to evacuate residents to hotels, or at least vulnerable populations, and was denied participation in a Knesset Finance Committee discussion on compensation for the war's economic impact, with committee chairman Hanoch Milvitzky citing time constraints.