Israel’s northern operation wins broad political backing

Operation Northern Shield won support from across Israel’s political spectrum on Tuesday.

By World Israel News Staff

Operation Northern Shield, which began overnight Monday to eliminate Hezbollah’s terror tunnels, won wide support from across Israel’s political spectrum on Tuesday. Politicians of all stripes backed the military and expressed their hopes for a successful outcome, though not without some political swiping from the opposition.

“I hope in a short time we’ll think of this threat [of Hezbollah tunnels] as ‘the threat that was,'” said Opposition leader Tzipi Livni in an interview with Army Radio Tuesday, adding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “is looking for a reason to put off the elections and can use this.”

Zionist Union MK Itzik Shmuli tweeted, “We all back the IDF in their mission to defend the northern residents. Regarding this, at the end of this action, it will be required to inspect house in connection with the manner every complaint was dealt with, sometimes with dismissal and even contempt, concerning noises of digging reported by the residents.”

“The same goes for the huge warning and protection gaps in the north and south that not much has been done about,” he said.

Support from members of the governing coalition were less conditional, Israel Hayom reports.

Minister of Transportation and member of Israel’s Security Cabinet Israel Katz said, “Israel once more proves its ability against every plot and every enemy.”

Moti Yogev from the Jewish Home Party, a coalition member, said, “The tunnels that penetrated into Israel for the purposes of terror have been neutralized … Israel defends its citizens against every threat that endangers their lives.”

“A great blow to Hezbollah,” Likud MK Amir Ohana declared.

Likud MK Anat Berko said, “The prime minister proved his responsibility because he didn’t go into a Gaza operation. The threat from the north was real.”