MKs: Gaza residents abandoned

Responding to the recent Qassam attack on kibbutz Karmiya Friday, which left four people – including one baby – injured, Knesset members from across the political spectrum called on the government to act with determination against terror.

Labor members also demanded that works to reinforce houses in communities near Gaza be completed immediately.

"It now became perfectly clear that the government's no-response policy has failed," MK Ehud Yatom (Likud) said. "A continuation of this policy will lead to more terror and Qassam attacks on communities in the heart of Israel as well," he added.

"The Israeli government must act with determination against Qassams and terror groups operating in the Strip, while at the same time addressing the failure to reinforce the region's communities," Yatom stated.

Likud MK Gilad Erdan said Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz are abandoning the citizens of Israel.

"How many citizens will pay with their lives until the Olmert government realizes it's time to start implementing the State Comptroller's harsh report and start reinforcing southern communities, instead of dealing with fund transfers to Hamas?"

Bureaucratic delays hamper works

Meanwhile, Labor MK Orit Noked called on Olmert to funnel all funds necessary to complete the reinforcement of the Gaza region communities by the beginning of next week.

"Today's catastrophe obligates the government to act quickly. It is outrageous that dozens of families live in constant fear for their safety," she said.

According to Head of the Sha'ar Hanegev regional council Alon Shuster, the 130 reinforced rooms already ready for installation in houses in the area were not installed so far due to delays and lack of funds for infrastructure works.

Shuster also noted the house hit by the Qassam Friday Was also scheduled to be installed with a reinforced room.

In the last months, the government has approved a budget of NIS 210 million for reinforcing houses in the area surrounding Gaza. However, despite continued rocket attacks, only NIS 85 million were allocated so far. Another NIS 30 million were allotted this week, but are currently delayed due to bureaucratic foot-dragging.

"If someone believes that the State allocated these budgets as an addition to the Home Front Command budget, I will reveal that it is in fact an offset with the reinforcement budget allocated to the Home Front Command, and the State Comptroller has already criticized the fact that they were not transferred," Shuster said.

"Also the kindergartens and schools in the area (evacuees' caravilla neighborhoods) are still not installed with reinforcement rooms, all because of 'small change' that the State has to allocate immediately in order to provide its citizens with security," he added.

Shuster charged that "we warmly welcomed the evacuees who came to live in our communities, but the State has abandoned them once again."

The area's residents were angered by the fact that only after citizens were hurt inside their homes the State will accelerate the allocation of funds. In addition, residents criticized the fact that the army retaliated the Qassam firing only after two weeks of restraint.

"The Palestinians are launching Qassams in order to hurt us, and the IDF is having a noise and supersonic boom party, which only disturbs the enemy's and our serenity. They should stop this joke," Shuster said.