NORTHERN ISRAEL — The Israeli government postponed a decision on May 31, 2026, on a multi-year rehabilitation plan for northern border communities affected by Hezbollah strikes. The plan targeted communities within nine kilometers of the Lebanon border and included provisions for rehabilitation, growth, and immediate protective measures.
The Finance Ministry stated, "It simply wasn’t ready. It was brought forward without proper coordination." The ministry added, "More professional work is needed on the matter, and that work will be completed in the near future." A separate government meeting to discuss the situation in the North is scheduled for Tuesday, June 2, 2026.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir condemned the postponement, calling it "a serious mistake." Ben-Gvir said, "At a time when residents of northern Israel are facing existential threats, the prime minister and the finance minister are once again delaying a decision on the North." He added, "Even if there is a desire to add further measures, an initial plan can be approved now and expanded later."
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett visited northern Israel on May 31 and stated that what civilians there experienced over the past 1,000 days is "something unprecedented since the founding of the State of Israel." Bennett noted, "Since October 7, an entire region of Israel has been emptied of its residents for many months. They packed up quickly and moved with their families away from their homes, relying on temporary solutions." He said, "Then a ceasefire was declared. But the fire has not stopped. The country seems to have returned to normal, but here the war is still ongoing."
Hezbollah has escalated strikes targeting civilians in northern Israel. All school frameworks in the region were canceled on May 31 due to the attacks. Hundreds of thousands of residents had previously been forced to leave their homes during the Israel-Hamas War, which followed the October 7, 2023 massacre. The area had not recovered from earlier damage when Operation Roaring Lion began in February 2026.
Education Minister Yoav Kisch announced that matriculation exams would not be held that week in areas under Home Front Command restrictions, with internal school grades replacing external exam scores. Local northern authority heads have called for urgent government aid and IDF action.