Evacuated northern residents express anger as Netanyahu reportedly says no rush to get them home

Evacuated residents of northern Israel express anger at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after he reportedly told the cabinet that it would not matter if they only returned home a few months after the September 1 start of the new school year.

“Only someone who has never lived in a 27-square-meter room with four children for the past 7 months could be so disconnected,” Matan Davidayan from Shlomi tells Channel 12.

Upper Galilee Regional Council head Giora Zaltz tells the channel that he is pushing for residents to return home even without a government OK.

“We can’t wait for a decision from someone who never decides,” he says.

The anger comes after Channel 12 yesterday quoted Netanyahu as telling the cabinet it was OK to further delay the residents’ return.

During the meeting war cabinet minister Benny Gantz reportedly urged a decision that would allow residents to return to their homes by September 1.

“Who said September 1 is the goal date,” Netanyahu is quoted as answering. “Why do we keep taking about this date, what will happen if they go back a few months later?”

After Gantz replies that it means that residents will miss the opening of the school year, Netanyahu replies: “I’m aware of the school year argument. It can take longer than that.”

Since October 8, Hezbollah-led forces have attacked Israeli communities and military posts along the border on a near-daily basis, with the group saying it is doing so to support Gaza amid the war there.

In the wake of the attacks, Israel evacuated tens of thousands of residents from their homes near the border.

Israel says that if no diplomatic solution can be found it will have to launch a war to push Hezbollah away from the border.

So far, the skirmishes on the border have resulted in nine civilian deaths on the Israeli side, as well as the deaths of 11 IDF soldiers. There have also been several rocket attacks from Syria, without any injuries.

Hezbollah has named 290 members who have been killed by Israel during the ongoing skirmishes, mostly in Lebanon but some also in Syria. In Lebanon, another 56 operatives from other terror groups, a Lebanese soldier, and at least 60 civilians have been killed.