The construction industry in the country is expected to take part in the reconstruction of Ukraine.
Last week, the Ukrainian Contractors' Association turned to the Builders of the Land of Israel Contractors Association, asking for help in the preparations for the day after the war in Ukraine, Israel Today has learned.
In fact, the association from Ukraine calls on the Israeli construction industry to take part in the state rehabilitation project at the end of the war.
Following the appeal, senior members of the Ukrainian Association led by its president, Lev Pertskalz, and senior members of the Israeli Association, led by President Raul Srugo, held a zoom meeting this week to discuss ways to integrate construction companies and construction industries from Israel into Ukraine's physical rehabilitation.
The Ukrainians estimate that the extent of the damage to buildings and infrastructure has crossed the 10 million square meter mark. It is estimated that the West will emerge to aid a huge amount of money to a country that has been under devastating attack for two months.
However, it should be noted that at this stage it is not clear where the funding for the rehabilitation of the country will come from, and the move can only be implemented provided that Ukraine continues to be an independent state at the end of the war.
In an appeal to the Israeli Association, representatives of the Ukrainian construction industry explained that the choice of Israel was born out of an understanding that the Israeli construction industry is experienced in restoring construction and infrastructure after wars.
The Ukrainians presented senior construction industry representatives with several issues in which they need help from Israeli companies: professional and orderly demolition of building debris and infrastructure, recycling of reusable building materials, operation of advanced mechanical equipment, industrial construction, construction of transportation and urban infrastructure of all kinds and urban renewal.
According to the agreement between the associations, in the first phase, the Ukrainians will define one city, which will be a site for actual planning and rehabilitation experiments by Israeli companies.
Subsequently, and in accordance with the success of the pilot in the first city, it will be determined to what extent the Israeli contractors will be involved in the rehabilitation of the entire country.
Rehabilitation of a bombed-out bridge, Photo: EPA
"Israeli knowledge required"
The Ukraine Contractors Association, which has been in existence for 15 years, unites more than 700 construction companies.
The president of the association, Lev Partskalz, told Israel Today about the extent of the damage done to the state's infrastructure so far in the Russian attack.
"There are dramatic consequences of the war on Ukraine's infrastructure," says Parskles. "400 schools and about 50 hospitals."
President of the Association of Contractors of Ukraine, Lev Parskles,
It is still difficult to fully assess the damage because the war continues, especially in densely populated eastern Ukraine with high-rise buildings.
"Mariupol has already been destroyed," says Parskles, "the Russian army is approaching with the artillery and completely destroying cities."
The ruins of a building in Mariupol, Photo: AP
The Association of Ukrainian Contractors estimates that the country will need close to $ 100 billion to repair the damage caused so far, and the hand is still out.
"The restoration of the roads and bridges will cost about $ 50 billion, in order to rehabilitate the residential buildings we will need another $ 30 billion, and for various state infrastructures (hospitals, kindergartens, schools and more) - another $ 10 billion."
Pertsklaz says the Ukrainian Contractors Association has approached 30 countries in the European Contractors Association, "but Israel was one of the first to respond and agreed to meet. Israel knows what a war is more than anyone else. "We too will have to live in a similar situation. Israel's experience and technology are very important to us."
The intention of the Ukrainians is to be prepared for the day after the war, because not only the rehabilitation itself will take time but also the preparations: planning, meetings and training of local staff.
"We suggested that we start with the restoration of a small town, and rebuild it with new technologies. We are considering each country taking on a different part of Ukraine," says Parskles.
When asked by "Israel Today" where the funding for Ukraine's rehabilitation will come from, Pertsklaz mentioned the assistance from the World Bank that Ukraine is expected to receive, amounting to billions of dollars, as well as the establishment of an international fund for the rehabilitation of the country.
Parskalz also mentioned the initiative of the Ukrainians, calling on the West to confiscate the bank loans of the Russian bank that were frozen under the sanctions' amounting to hundreds of billions, for the purpose of rehabilitating Ukraine.
"business opportunity"
The president of the Builders Association of Builders, Raul Srugo, told Israel Today that for Israel this is an important business opportunity, along with an important international mission: "Everything is on a financial basis, there is no volunteering here. There is a good business opportunity on the one hand. "The State of Israel enters here under a stretcher and contributes its share. We will bring the management and the knowledge, the physical work will be done by the Ukrainian workers."
President of the Builders Association of Builders Raul Srugo, Photo: Ancho-Gush-Gini
According to Srugo, "At the end of one of the meetings with the Ukrainians I told them that this week is Holocaust Remembrance Day, so it is very exciting for us to see these pictures because we remember what our people went through. They were very excited about this as well."
Not at the expense of construction in Israel
But can Israel at all help another country, while it itself is unable to build at a pace that will meet the needs of its growing population?
According to Srugo, "This will not come at the expense of construction in Israel. The problem with construction in Israel is not due to a lack of working hands or a lack of contractors. "We know how to build, we have proven this in the past. Also, those who will travel there are the Israeli managers, and sub-managers and workers will continue to build here. This will be reflected in the initiative, management, training and sale of materials, equipment, patents and technology."
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