Peretz: Peace instead of protection
While more than 3,498 students in southern communities strike due to lack of anti-rocket protection, defense minister opens new school year at Eshkol Regional Council, talking about peace and social strength. 'We would like to promise children that instead of dealing with fortification of classrooms we will deal with building peace,' he says
Breaking Left: Defense Minister Amir Peretz began the school year Sunday morning at the Nitzanei Eshkol elementary school in the Eshkol Regional Council with messages of peace and social strength.
"Perhaps the most important thing we can promise children is, instead of dealing with protection of class rooms, we'll deal with building new peace between the nations and talking about new hope," he said.
Some 3,498 students in Sderot and Shaar Hanegev were on strike in protest at the lack of adequate protection. The Education Ministry claimed that the fortification was carried out in accordance with instructions by the Home Front Command.
"If someone has claims, they should take them to the Home Front," Avraham Tzdaka, who oversees protection at educational institutions, told Ynet.
Peretz greets children beginning new school year (Photo: Amir Cohen)
Peretz arrived to welcome students and to examine the protection installed at the school.
"I arrived at the school in which we invested to protect it so that children can have a sense of security. Everyone made a joint effort to bring the school to this state," he said.
The Nitzanei Eshkol school is one of 15 elementary schools that had rocket protection installed in it by the Education Ministry and Home Front Command.
"There's no doubt that the key for a better future for students beginning today their first days in school is the release of the kidnapped soldier in the north and in the south," said Peretz.
'National strength made up of security, social unity'
"In the south the key to change has been first and foremost the release of Gilad Shalit, the ending of Qassam rockets, and the removal of the IDF from Gaza," he said.
"I came to see the protected structures, which I see as temporary structures which will turn into meetings of peace between the nations in the future. This war showed that the national strength is a strength made up of security and social unity," he added.
Peretz claimed he was opposed to upholding the security budget at the expense of social issues.
"The time has come that we release ourselves from this formula. I'm not prepare to see pensioners and children have to lose out to tanks and F-16s. The national strength is not only security based, but also social, and if sources are lacking, the time has come to find them in other places. The placing of security against society is an unreasonable stance," he said.
Peretz also said there was no need for many investigations, but for one official commission of inquiry into the war. "Many committees won't serve the aim for which they formed, and therefore I think that one committee is the most appropriate, and if it's one committee, it should be a state commission with full authority," the defense minister said.
He expressed hope that his ministry can provide solutions to all school security demands.
"If there are additional claims, we'll talk about them," said Peretz.
