The Cabinet on Sunday, 8 Tammuz 5773 approved the establishment of an inter-ministerial team on upgrading the level of protection for existing residential buildings.

The committee was established in the wake of instructions from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to work toward significantly bridging the gaps in protection in light of the security threats against Israel and the failure of previous efforts to bring about a broad solution to the challenges of ant-missile protection.

Homefront Defense Minister Gilad Erdan will chair the team, which will include Prime Minister’s Office Director General Harel Locker and representatives from all relevant bodies, including the Justice, Finance, Interior and other ministries. The team will submit its recommendations within 120 days.

Minister Erdan informed the Cabinet that 27% of the population in Israel has no emergency protection. He noted that at least 50% of the populations in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem lack protection solutions and that approximately 700,000 residential units in the country lack protection.

“Protection gaps in Israel are unacceptable, from both security and social perspectives. This must be changed,” Minister Erdan said.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)