Home front: Situation today even worse
Kiryat Shmona residents, who bore witness to mishandling of home front during Lebanon war, not surprised by state comptroller report. 'We won't be here in the next war,' says Izik Zaguri
As far as they are concerned, the writing was on the wall for many years.
"The situation now is worse than last year," he claims. "Several donors are trying to help us, but the government and the municipality have failed in providing a solution.
"People who pass by the Vrdaim neighborhood, where I live, see the neglect near the bomb shelters and see that some of the infrastructure has not been dealt with properly. The government offices have forgotten about us, but I can promise that they will remember us against in the next war."
More on state comptroller's report:
- Olmert: State Comptroller's report – superficial
- 'Olmert was aware of shelters' condition before going to war'
- IDF: Comptroller’s report not surprising
- 'Media spin can't mask government failures'
- Livni says Olmert should stay despite home front failures
Shimon, another resident, claims that the home front was not the only one to suffer physically. So did the State, he says.
"We have lost the IDF's deterrence ability, thus exposing the residents of Kiryat Shmona and the north to the next war. They kept on calling us 'the strong home front', but one does not become strong from promises and from the comptroller's reports, but rather humiliated and weak," he adds.
Izik Zaguri, who arrived in Kiryat Shmona in 1963, bore witness to the rockets fired at the city, and during the last war encountered the helplessness in terms of handling the home front.
"My mother-in-law died during the war and I could not find anyone to help me with the funeral and the seven days of mourning. Neighbors who wanted to leave the city could not find a way and funds to do so, and bomb shelters were not prepared for a long stay. Even today, a year later, the situation does not look better.
"I have children and grandchildren here, and I know that we will not be here in the next war. In a few days the report will just be left on the shelf with all the other reports."
Amtazia Dahari believes that the comptroller's report only reveals some of the problems.
"Everyone failed here, starting with the prime minister, the ministers, the IDF and the Home Front Command, up to the mayor and other aid organizations. We must stop sweeping the situation under the carpet and admit that we are now in a more difficult situation than in summer 2006."
Dr Oscar Embon, director-general of the Ziv Medical Center in Safed, claims that his hospital was not included in the government's decision to fortify hospitals in the north.
"The report, and the fact that we were directly hit by Katyusha rockets during the recent war, proves that there is an unbearable lightness in terms of guarding the patients and the medical staff.
"The comptroller's report requires a change in the government's decision, and we must demand that the Ziv Medical Center is included in the fortification plan, considering the fact that it is at the front and that 820 soldiers and hundreds of injured civilians were evacuated to this hospital during the last war."
