The unauthorized visit follows weeks of sharp clashes between the two and criticism Ben-Gvir faced during his previous trip to the town. “We don’t need a meeting in order to come to the locality,” sources close to Ben-Gvir said, explaining that the MK is set to arrive with senior police commanders to review the ongoing implementation of the operation.
Their last meeting ended with Asad accusing Ben-Gvir of coming “to inflame tensions." At the same time, Ben-Gvir claimed that he was allowed to visit “any locality where there are shootings and criminal activity.” The two later agreed to meet again, but that meeting was also canceled, leading Ben-Gvir to now visit the town without coordinating with the council.
Their last meeting ended with Asad accusing Ben-Gvir of coming “to inflame tensions." At the same time, Ben-Gvir claimed that he was allowed to visit “any locality where there are shootings and criminal activity.” The two later agreed to meet again, but that meeting was also canceled, leading Ben-Gvir to now visit the town without coordinating with the council.
Last week, Ben-Gvir and Police Commissioner Daniel Levi visited Lakiya to oversee the installation of concrete barriers and checkpoints in the town as part of the Southern District’s new directive. During the visit, MK Walid al-Hawashla (Ra’am) confronted Ben-Gvir, calling him “a racist" who only "came to provoke.” “Governance is returning," Ben-Gvir sharply responded, "And we are the landlords.” As part of the operation, Israel Police has increased its patrols, restricted the movement of suspected criminals, and searched for weapons stolen from the IDF. (Read More)
