Title: Tensions Rise at University of Haifa Amidst Growing Threat from Hezbollah
At the University of Haifa, less than 50km (30 miles) from Israel’s border with Lebanon, fear is palpable as tensions escalate between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
Following a rocket attack on a football field in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that claimed the lives of 12 children and teenagers, the university authorities have taken precautionary measures. Staff based above the fifth floor in the 30-storey building have been instructed to work from home, as concerns mount that they may be in the line of fire from Hezbollah.
Esther Parpara, a university staff member, expressed the gravity of the situation, stating, “This is a dangerous moment. Parents are helping police and guards to patrol kindergartens. I’m avoiding crowded places. We don’t seek war – but Hezbollah want to destroy Israel and the Jewish people, so can we just let them do that without defending ourselves?”
Cross-border fire between Israel and Lebanon has been escalating since Hezbollah fired rockets and shells at Israeli sites in solidarity with the Hamas attack on Israel. Both groups have called for the destruction of the Israeli state.
The recent tit-for-tat strikes have resulted in casualties on both sides, with fears mounting that a full-scale confrontation may be imminent. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that Hezbollah will “pay a heavy price” for the recent attack, while tensions continue to rise in the region.
As the international community calls for restraint, the situation remains volatile, with the threat of further escalation looming large. The University of Haifa and its surrounding areas are on high alert, bracing for what may come next in this tense standoff with Hezbollah.
