Netanyahu and Katz toured the Jordan border - the council head was not invited: "Are we second-class citizens?"

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz toured the Jordan Valley to inspect work on a new security barrier. The head of the regional council, Idan Greenbaum, was not invited to the tour and criticized the snub, questioning whether it was political discrimination. Residents expressed anger over the decision, amid security concerns about infiltrations and weapons smuggling.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz toured the Jordan Valley yesterday (Thursday) to closely observe the work on the new security barrier along the eastern border. The tour included senior IDF and defense establishment officials, but the head of the Jordan Valley Regional Council, Idan Greenbaum, was not invited. Representatives of communities near the border also did not participate. Greenbaum harshly criticized the snub in a post he published, questioning whether the decision was politically motivated: "Would this have happened in a Likud stronghold? Are we second-class citizens?" Residents of the Jordan Valley expressed anger over the decision, emphasizing that in an area where they face concerns about infiltrations and weapons smuggling, a direct meeting with decision-makers is crucial. The concerns have intensified following an incident in May 2025, when a Jordanian citizen crossed the border and reached the kibbutzim Sha'ar HaGolan and Masada without warning systems being activated. The tour took place against the backdrop of the construction of a new security barrier along the eastern border, which will replace the outdated fence. Netanyahu presented the barrier as part of a broader defense plan including forces and anti-drone measures. Valley residents say a fence is no substitute for a complete defense system, noting that "a much stronger and better fence also surrounded the Gaza Strip."