Jerusalem: A new official report has revealed a significant lack of preparedness within Israel’s civil authorities to protect its population during times of conflict. The report, stemming from assessments of the recent Gaza and Lebanon conflicts, indicates that over three million Israelis lack access to adequate shelters or protective spaces.
The State Comptroller’s report, the ninth in a series of official audits focusing on the war, highlights a critical gap in the home front’s readiness. It underscores that approximately one-third of the population does not have access to shelters that meet required safety standards. This deficiency was brought into sharp focus following the events of October 7th and the subsequent military engagements in Gaza and Lebanon.
The report emphasizes that civil authorities were insufficiently prepared to safeguard residents, ensure the continuity of essential services, and provide timely relief and economic compensation. A key finding points to the freezing of the second phase of a national program designed to protect municipalities, leaving local authorities without clear guidance or approved plans. This forced them to improvise during a national emergency.
Furthermore, the report exposed widespread shortcomings in assessing protection gaps and significant weaknesses in the maintenance and oversight of existing shelters. Alarmingly, over 11% of public shelters were found to be unusable. Regular inspections were almost entirely absent in the years leading up to the war, particularly in peripheral areas and minority communities, including Bedouin settlements in the Negev.
The report concludes with a call for urgent structural reforms, particularly within the education sector, which was found to be ill-equipped to handle prolonged emergency situations. The findings raise serious questions about Israel’s readiness to protect its citizens in the face of ongoing regional instability and the potential for future conflicts.