State argues against fortifying Sderot residences
State rejects petition filed by Sderot residents to High Court demanding it fund fortification of over 800 homes in bombarded town
The residents claimed that it is up to the State to protect their homes from the daily Qassam rocket attacks launched by Palestinian terror groups. But the State claims that current laws do not obligate the fortification of Sderot houses.
Town residents claimed that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had, in the past, personally promised to defend their homes. But the government never came through on its word and residents were forced to pay for the expensive construction out of their own pockets.
In the State's response, it wrote that the issue of fortifications "is not limited to this singular context and is closely linked to various other matters, that will have ramifications on Israel's security, image and deterrent capabilities.
"It effects the ability of residents in the conflict area to remain steadfast in the face of the attacks as well as various budgetary repercussions."
The government argued that the petition should be rejected by the court because the decision to fortify or not ultimately falls under the government's jurisdiction.
On Monday evening terror groups launched a Qassam rocket from northern Gaza towards Israel. the rocket landed in an industrial park inside Sderot.
In a separate incident later that evening, mortar rounds fired from Gaza landed in open fields near the Nahal Oz kibbutz. There were no injuries or damage reported in either incident.
