The Ashkelon Parents Teachers Association instructed students not to participate in the nationwide IDF Turning Point 4 training exercise, intended to evaluate student response in the event of a missile attack. The comprehensive four-day nationwide exercise is intended to evaluate all aspects of the nation’s emergency services, response, support, military retaliatory ability and more.

PTA Chairman Inon Jibli explained that first; the government must fulfill its responsibilities and fortify all schools so they are capable of withstanding rocket fire. At present, there are still schools which are vulnerable he explains, and practicing with children running under tables is pointless, adding “they don’t need to rehearse since they have all done it during the real thing”.

In nearby Netivot, residents complained of the fact that some neighborhoods are constructed of light materials, and are extremely susceptible to rocket fire, pointing out their community is well within Hamas’ range of firing rockets from Gaza.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)