Metula's Long Road Back: Border Town Struggles to Rebuild Amid Renewed Israel–Hezbollah Tensions

Ilan Rosenfeld picks his way through the charred remains of the cafe he ran for four decades in Metula, Israel’s northernmost town. Clay plates lie in fragments and twisted metal — remnants of rockets that landed in town — are scattered among the rubble. What was once his livelihood is now ash and ruin.

Displacement and a Fragile Return

Rosenfeld was among tens of thousands displaced when cross-border hostilities with Hezbollah erupted after Hamas’ October 2023 attack. Authorities say about 64,000 people were evacuated from northern communities; roughly 55,000 have since returned. In Metula, however, recovery has been slow: just over half of the town’s ~1,700 residents have come back, leaving streets and businesses largely empty.

Widespread Damage and Economic Pain

Local officials report that around 60% of Metula’s homes were damaged by rocket fire; some properties were further ruined by infestations and neglect. The town’s economy — heavily dependent on tourism and agriculture — has been battered. Many younger families remain reluctant to return, prompting some employers to recruit temporary workers from Thailand to fill labor shortages.

“Everything I had, everything I saved, everything I built — it’s all burned,” Rosenfeld said as he surveyed the damage. He now sleeps in a small shelter beside the remnants of his business, with little more than a tent, a refrigerator and a few chairs. Nearby stand a military watchtower and armored vehicles.

Government Response and Local Frustration

The Israeli government says it has invested hundreds of millions of shekels in recovery efforts and plans further economic support for the north. Officials say residents can apply for reconstruction funds. Still, some residents and business owners say aid has been slow to arrive and that they feel overlooked.

Metula’s deputy mayor, Avi Nadiv, urged greater assistance: “The Israeli government needs to do much more for us,” he said, adding that border communities feel like “Israel’s human shield.” A spokesman for Cabinet minister Zeev Elkin, who oversees northern reconstruction, countered that some local authorities have not used allocated funds, blaming political and oppositional considerations.

Ongoing Security Risks

The security situation remains tense. Israel continues strikes in southern Lebanon targeting what it says are Hezbollah sites, while the militant group insists it will not disarm until Israeli forces withdraw from contested locations. The Lebanese army says it has increased its presence along the border to strengthen the ceasefire, but clashes and strikes have continued.

A November U.N. report said strikes in Lebanon have killed at least 127 civilians, including children, since the ceasefire. U.N. special rapporteur Morris Tidball-Binz described the strikes as amounting to “war crimes,” while Israel maintains it has the right to act to prevent Hezbollah from rearming and accuses militants of operating among civilians.

Daily Life on the Frontline

Signs of insecurity are part of daily life in Metula: municipal lists of public shelters, fortified homes, regular military drills, watchtowers and armored vehicles. Farmer and reservist Levav Weinberg, who returned with his family in July, watches his children play but worries their safety. “The army cannot protect me and my family,” he said. “You sacrifice your family to live in Metula these days.”

Outlook

Local leaders continue to encourage returns and promise reconstruction and fortified housing, but many residents remain unsure whether the assistance and security guarantees will be enough to restore normal life in a town that has been transformed into a frontline community. For some like Rosenfeld, the path to recovery is uncertain and slow.