Following are excerpts from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s remarks at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday), May 23rd.

“A national home front exercise will be held this week.  This is the fourth year in which we are holding the exercise.  It will include warning sirens throughout the country, in workplaces, homes, schools and kindergartens, hospitals, local councils, government offices, etc.

This is a routine exercise that has been scheduled for some time.  I would like to make it clear that it is not the result of any exceptional security development.  On the contrary, Israel aspires towards calm, stability and peace.  However, it is no secret that we live in a region that is under the threat of missiles and rockets.  The State of Israel’s best defense against this threat is – first of all – in maintaining deterrence and the IDF’s decisive capability, and these we do without respite.  This involves, I am compelled to say, considerable resources from the state budget.

But it is also important to bolster citizens’ awareness vis-à-vis the protection issue – and this is exactly what this exercise will do, starting today and running throughout the week.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu noted that approximately NIS 80 million would be invested per annum in advancing twin goals: 1) Helping discharged soldiers and national service volunteers acquire post-secondary education and integrate into the jobs’ market, and 2) Strengthening the periphery by helping students study in the Galilee and the Negev.

Prime Minister Netanyahu also said that ministers would be briefed on a decision to connect 150 IDF bases to an advanced sewage and waste disposal network, at a cost of almost NIS 500 million, in order to protect the environment.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem / PM’s Media Advisor)