Hatzor HaGlilit Mayor Quits Likud Citing Neglect in Northern Aid Plans

Michael Kabsa, the mayor of Hatzor HaGlilit, announced his departure from the Likud party on Monday, sharply criticizing the Israeli government for excluding his town from northern economic aid programs. Kabsa highlighted that while 22 billion shekels were allocated to northern communities, Hatzor HaGlilit received no funding, which he described as a deliberate and targeted neglect rather than an oversight.

In a video message to residents, Kabsa explained that after nearly two years of persistent efforts to engage government ministries, his town remains abandoned and excluded from all northern aid initiatives. He called the decision painful but necessary, emphasizing his primary loyalty to his community over political affiliation. "Before I am a Likud member, I am first a resident of Hatzor HaGlilit," he stated.

Kabsa detailed the town’s precarious situation, located just 11 kilometers from the Lebanon border, lacking protective infrastructure and enduring almost three years of continuous security threats, including sirens and rocket impacts, alongside severe economic damage. He accused the government of drawing artificial lines on the map, discriminating between neighboring communities through seven separate government decisions that favored other northern towns and populations but excluded Hatzor HaGlilit.

He condemned this as the first instance in Israel’s history where a government has deliberately marginalized an entire town, calling it a policy rather than a mistake. Kabsa concluded by rejecting the notion that children in his town are worth less than those living a few hundred meters away and vowed to continue fighting for Hatzor HaGlilit regardless of political changes. "The parties will come and go, governments will change, but Hatzor HaGlilit will remain," he said, urging a clear acknowledgment of the town’s abandonment.

Summary: Michael Kabsa, mayor of Hatzor HaGlilit, left the Likud party due to the government’s exclusion of his town from northern economic aid, accusing it of deliberate neglect amid ongoing security threats near the Lebanon border. He pledged to keep fighting for his community despite political shifts.

Points: - Michael Kabsa quits Likud over exclusion of Hatzor HaGlilit from 22 billion shekel northern aid. - Kabsa calls the neglect a targeted government policy, not an error. - Hatzor HaGlilit faces ongoing security threats near Lebanon without protective measures. - Government made seven decisions favoring other northern communities, excluding Hatzor HaGlilit. - Kabsa prioritizes community loyalty over party affiliation and vows to continue advocacy. - He demands recognition that children in Hatzor HaGlilit deserve equal protection and support.

Topic: politics

Entities: {"people":["Michael Kabsa"],"organizations":["Likud"],"places":["Hatzor HaGlilit","Lebanon"]}