‘Government turning a blind eye’: Northern leaders fume as businesses collapse, kids stay home

Northern officials say they have been abandoned by the government as local economies collapse and schools are shut amid increased Hezbollah drone attacks from Lebanon.

“Until what point will the government continue to turn a blind eye? Let them come here to the fields and see the economic collapse of the residents. You go to the chicken coop and don’t know if you will get a visit from a drone,” says Sami Zanti, head of the Shomera moshav, to Army Radio.

“If children are traveling on the bus on the way back from school and suddenly a drone falls, where will they hide?” he says.

Several communities along the northern border have closed schools and kindergartens until further notice amid an uptick in Hezbollah drone attacks from Lebanon.

Maaleh Yosef Regional Council Head Shimon Guetta tells the Kan public broadcaster that it was not an easy decision, but there are concerns for the safety of the children.

“It’s not easy to take away from the little routine we have here. Everything is shut down with us, tourism and agriculture are not operating,” he says. “Everything is hard. But what happened in Majdal Shams could happen here.” Twelve children were killed in 2024 when a Hezbollah missile slammed into a soccer field in the Druze town.