Chairman of the Israeli Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Zvi Hauser said that Hezbollah managed to depopulate the Galilee Panhandle in the Zionist entity’s north.
The remarks were made during a a special educational seminar dedicated for discussing the rehabilitation of the northern area of the Zionist entity.
President of the Israel Arts and Science Academy (IASA) Aliza Bloch addressed the seminar, entitled “Eyes on the North: A Strategic View of Rehabilitation and a Shared Vision.”
“I believe that choosing to write about education and educators stems from the fact that we are building the infrastructure. We are all going through the same experience, but each person has chosen their own way of dealing with the war. We saw people who were not prepared for such a reality, people who were suddenly forced to set up a school in a hotel lobby or inside a bomb shelter,” Bloch was quoted as saying by Hebrew media.
“A strong north means a strong Israel. We’re not volunteering for the north; we’re helping the state. If the north isn’t strong, we’ll all be in trouble,” she added.
For his part, Hauser presented what he called a historical overview, in which he said that in 1920, Britain considered that the region of Galilee Panhandle was is of no interest to them, and that France didn’t enter the area.
The Galilee Panhandle “had become a lawless area,” he said.
“In 1920, 300 of 60,000 Israelis clung to this region. And now, in 2026, 50,000 of 10 million Israeli are clinging to Galilee Panhandle. It’s the same proportion,” Hauser added.
“When I make this astonishing calculation, I find out that it was the same ratio as in 1920. That is, the State of Israel does not hold onto the place, nor does it achieve the Zionist vision or declaration.”
“We are not holding on. It is an empty land. And historically, empty land generates demands from others to remove us from here. This is what happened with Hezbollah. It’s a living proof that they succeeded to depopulate this area,” the Israeli official was quoted as saying by Hebrew media.
Source: Hebrew media (translated and edited by Al-Manar)