Representatives of Gaza seamline communities located up to 4.5 kilometers (2.7 miles) from the Gaza border are petitioning the Supreme Court against the national government for halting fortification work in their communities due to a lack of funding.

The petition addresses security concerns of residents of Kibbutzim Kfar Aza, Or Chana, Nirim, Sa’ad, Yad Mordechai, Alumim, Nir Oz, Nir Yitzchak and Sufah. The petitioners point out that even when the ‘Iron Kippa’ rocket defense system is up-and-running, it will not provide an answer for them since their communities are too close to the border to benefit from the rocket intercept system.

Ra’anan Dinur, the director-general of the Prime Minister’s Office however views the situation somewhat differently, stating the work to provide safe rooms to the residents of the communities mentioned is not a burning issue and current realities do justify a hiatus in construction.

One of the leaders of the petition, Ofer Lipstein points out that this is an opportune time to complete the construction work since the ceasefire agreement seems to be holding more or less. Epstein adds that when the fighting renews, it will be considerably more intense by all accounts, and this will result in more rockets and the consequences of such attacks.

Leading the petition is MK Shai Hermesh, of the prime minister’s Kadima Party. He is a resident of Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Filing with the court on their behalf will be attorney Adi Wasser, also a Kfar Aza resident.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)