Sderot schoolchildren can finally feel safe
Despite relative calm, defense establishment presses ahead with fortification of Sderot schools as September 1st nears
Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai (Labor) on Monday presented a new portable shelter called a “migunit,” or a hollowed-out concrete block, in the city’s Shikmim Oz School. The apparatus is a terminal of sorts whose purpose is to provide shelter for 70 students even when they are on recess.
Despite the calm, two Qassam rockets were fired at Israel on Tuesday as well. There were no injuries and no damage was caused. In light of the firing, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and his deputy decided on Monday night to refrain from opening the Gaza Strip crossings.
Vilnai toured the Gaza vicinity communities on Monday in order to asses the building of school shelters from up close. The Sderot Municipality said that most of the city’s students will not have to leave their classrooms if a color red alert is sounded.
Vilnai out in the field (Gadi Kabalo)
The deputy minister noted that the security establishment has accelerated its work on creating additional shelter in the Gaza vicinity communities’ schools. He also said that “the parents can be calm. We are working day and night in order to begin the school year in a fitting manner.
“This year, various and new means of protection have been added in order to provide peace of mind for successful school days.”
Regarding the relative quiet in the south, Vilnai said, “The calm is fragile; the security establishment is conducting itself as if a new reality will exist tomorrow morning.
“We are investing in protection and situational drills, even extreme situations. Unfortunately, we are also responsible for the less pleasant incidents.”
Simultaneously, the security establishment is continuing to place shelters in various locations.
Lately, a new portable shelter was placed in the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon. However, this was not a security establishment initiative but rather a private one since no shelters have been placed in Ashkenlon at all.
This issue has caused animosity amongst the parents’ organizations in Ashkelon, which have already turned to different officials and are planning on fighting this issue at the school year’s onset.
