A day after rockets fired from Lebanon landed in north Israel, the Knesset Subcommittee for the Examination of Home-Front Readiness discussed the preparedness of local authorities for emergencies. During the debate, chaired by MK Amir Peretz (Zionist Camp-Labor), Home Front Command Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Dedi Simchi said it would take 15 years to close the gap between the current level of fortification in the local councils and the desired level.
According to him, there are currently 69 local councils whose level of preparedness for an emergency is defined as high; 162 councils may find it difficult to function during an emergency and 26 will definitely find it difficult to function. Most of the local councils that are expected to have a tough time dealing with emergencies are connected to the Arab sector.
A representative of the Interior Ministry said the gaps in the levels of preparedness are wider than what the Home Front Command suggests, mainly with regards to emergencies such as earthquakes.
MK Peretz said, ”We will not let this issue rest until we know for certain which body is responsible. Responsibility is a crucial aspect, particularly in the northern sector. The head of a local council must know what his or her responsibilities are in the event of an emergency. What’s more, this subject has a major effect on the way the residents view us ahead of the future local elections.”
The Israeli Home Front Command is an IDF regional command, created in February 1992 following the Gulf War, which was the first war since the 1948 Arab-Israeli War in which centers of civilian population faced significant threat. The Home Front Command includes a domestic search and rescue unit, primarily operating in times of natural disasters, while Unit 669 is the Israeli Air Force’s Tactical Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) unit that operates behind enemy lines. The Home Front Command is currently headed by Gen. Eyal Eisenberg.