As lunchtime trade wanders through the door and with the smell of barbecued meat hanging in the air, kebab shop founder Amnon Oved smiles as he offers a rather blunt assessment of the state of Israel's leadership.
asserted
he → wander → leadership
The popular businessman is a resident of Kiryat Shmona and, like many other Israelis, is preparing to vote in an election that will have a profound impact on the country after years of conflict and social upheaval.
asserted
that → prepare → conflict
In his mind, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, also known as Bibi, has reached his "best before" date.
asserted
Netanyahu → know → date
"Bibi needs to go to America and sit there with [US President Donald] Trump, to smoke grass together and have a good life," he quips.
asserted
he → need → life
"Or he will sit here in prison, one of the two.
"
asserted
he → sit → two
Trump said to him, 'You're a liar.'
asserted
You → say → him
"That [was something] we knew before he said it!"
asserted
he → know → it
The October 27 election has essentially become a referendum on Mr Netanyahu's leadership and legacy.
asserted
election → become → leadership
That includes his management of the multiple wars Israel is involved in, through to the personal corruption charges still hanging over him.
asserted
Israel → include → him
Current polling shows the longest-serving prime minister in Israel's history and his party, Likud, are facing a stiff challenge to hold on to power, with "change" candidates vying to topple him.
asserted
candidates → show → him
Perhaps aware of the growing challenge against his ally, Mr Trump delivered a glowing endorsement of Mr Netanyahu as a "great warrior" ahead of the election.
asserted
Trump → grow → election
Most data suggests Likud will be the second largest party in the next Knesset, behind one of Mr Netanyahu's main rivals, Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar.
uncertain
Likud → suggest → rivals
But both men will still need to form coalitions post-election.
asserted
men → need → coalitions
Israel heads to the polls after turmoil
Mr Oved's business is one of a handful that have consistently remained open in Kiryat Shmona, in far north Israel's Galilee region.
asserted
that → head → region
The city has been a Likud stronghold for decades and sits at the foot of the Ramim Ridge, where the border between Israel and Lebanon runs.
asserted
border → sit → Israel
It was one of the Israeli cities targeted by Hezbollah's rocket and drone strikes after the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel triggered the war in Gaza.
asserted
attacks → target → Gaza
Israeli forces fired back over the border in response until an uneasy and, as some analysts described it, flawed ceasefire was struck in late 2024.
asserted
ceasefire → fire → 2024
A fragile peace hung over the area until Hezbollah again opened fire earlier this year.
asserted
Hezbollah → hang → fire
This time, the group acted in support of its backers in Tehran, days after the US and Israel launched a war on Iran.
asserted
US → act → Iran
The city came under attack once more, as Israeli forces pummelled Lebanese villages just a short distance away and launched a ground invasion.
asserted
forces → come → invasion
"There have been wars since the world was created, and the wars will continue," Mr Oved said.
asserted
Oved → create → ?
"It doesn't matter which leaders will be in power, good or bad.
asserted
leaders → matter → power
They care about themselves."
asserted
They → care → themselves
At the November 2022 election, just over 49 per cent of the vote in Kiryat Shmona went to the Netanyahu-led party.
asserted
cent → go → party
The joint ticket led by far-right ultranationalist politicians Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich ranked second, with just under 14 per cent of the vote.
asserted
ticket → lead → vote
The two men would go on to become key members of the coalition government, which was later formed.
asserted
which → go → government
They are running separately at this election.
asserted
They → run → election
Mr Ben-Gvir has been sanctioned by governments around the world, including Australia.
asserted
Gvir → sanction → Australia
But he and his Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party is making the pitch that a strong Ben-Gvir means a strong Israel.
asserted
Gvir → make → Israel
That message was on clear display at a public bomb shelter on the main road of Kiryat Shmona, which was covered in posters for his party.
asserted
which → cover → party
In the background of the image are handcuffed Palestinian prisoners, highlighting his role as national security minister and his demands to become defence minister in a future government.
asserted
prisoners → handcuff → government
'People are hard to move'
asserted
People → move → ?
Only about half of Kiryat Shmona's 25,000 residents have returned since fighting in southern Lebanon calmed.
asserted
fighting → return → Lebanon
The city's former deputy mayor Shimon Kamari believed many locals would still vote for Likud out of blind loyalty, even though he believed it had "abandoned" the city.
"Those who remained in the city are traditional people, religious people, people who the support for Likud flows in their blood, and it seems to me that it's very difficult to get it out of them," he said.
"It's very hard to get out of it because it comes from home, from the parents, it comes to them from grandparents, and these people are hard to move."
asserted
people → believe → grandparents
Mr Kamari was born in the city to a family of Iranian Jews, and stayed in Kiryat Shmona during the war to continue running his food distribution business.
asserted
Kamari → bear → business
He said his political views had shifted over the years, and he had become more right wing in recent times.
asserted
he → say → times
For example, he was now of the view that things like a two state solution could not and should not happen.
uncertain
things → happen → solution
"If the government does not change … God forbid, it is a death sentence for Kiryat Shmona," he said.
asserted
he → change → Shmona
Mr Kamari said he would be backing Gadi Eisenkot at the ballot box.
asserted
he → say → box
"This culture that took root in the State of Israel, the culture of lies, we have to change it," he said.
asserted
he → take → it
…and 10 more, not listed.
The Aporia
