Kiryat Shmona Mayor Criticizes Israel-Lebanon Talks, Blames Hezbollah for Attacks

Avichai Stern, mayor of Kiryat Shmona, sharply criticized the ongoing negotiations between Israel and Lebanon in an interview with ynet. He stated that Israel's security is non-negotiable and expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the talks. Stern emphasized that while Israel is negotiating with the Lebanese state, the real threat comes from Hezbollah, which he said is responsible for attacks against Israel. He questioned Lebanon's ability to control Hezbollah, asserting that "everyone understands the answer is no." Furthermore, Stern argued that the Hezbollah issue has not been addressed fundamentally or from its root causes.