What is the connection between the war in Ukraine, the nuclear reactor disasters in Japan and the earthquakes in Chile, and the war in Gaza? Sites from around the world that were significantly damaged appear in an international review to gather knowledge and insights from disaster rehabilitation processes initiated by the Strategic Division of the Planning Administration, with the aim of improving the rehabilitation of communities in the south destroyed during the Hamas attack on October 7.
Chile earthquake in 2015 Photo: Reuters,
To date, disasters that have occurred in Japan, Chile, Ukraine, Canada, and Italy have been examined – most (though not all) in areas affected by natural disasters, and have found relevant insights into post-disaster planning and rehabilitation processes. Integrative reports and interviews with experts completed the picture and on their basis, key operational principles were exhausted for the treatment and rehabilitation of the areas damaged in the war that began here on 7 Otkower.
Buildings in Kyiv - Ukraine, Photo: AFP,
The first principle deals with the active participation of the affected communities at all stages. In many cases, it turned out that the success of the rehabilitation depended to a large extent on whether the planning was done together with the population and not "for it", and whether its unique wishes and needs were taken into account.
Working with the community can be quick and focused, so it doesn't necessarily extend planning time. It makes it possible to understand the needs of the residents, discover local knowledge and turn the residents into active partners in designing solutions for them.
Another important point that arose was the adherence to multidisciplinary teams, including the integration of professionals from social worlds, trauma treatment, mediation, memory and commemoration.
Another important principle is listening to the public and gathering ongoing knowledge from the field: keeping a finger on the pulse of the needs and preferences of the communities at every stage. For this purpose, a regulated methodology is required for collecting and documenting knowledge, as well as synchronization between the various bodies working in the field.
The next aspect is temporary housing (insofar as it has been decided to establish one) that must meet personal, family and social needs – and not just provide a housing solution. It is recommended, according to the insights gained by the Planning Administration, to prefer a location close to workplaces and education, aspiring to be close to the affected area, using existing infrastructure.
The destruction after an earthquake in Fukushima, Japan, 2012 -Photo: Reuters,
The importance of community preservation
It is also recommended that the planning of the complex be done in cooperation with the community, with an emphasis on public and community spaces, diversity, innovation, flexibility, quality and aesthetics. From many cases, it emerged that there is great importance in preserving the community in the temporary compounds as well, sometimes by reconstructing the residential pattern and proximity between neighbors in the temporary compound as well.
The Guiding Principles in the Rehabilitation Process
- Active partnership of local communities at all stages.
- Strict adherence to multidisciplinary teams, including treatments
- Promoting multi-sectoral and regional collaborations
- Attentiveness to the public and continuous hand gathering from the field
- Temporary housing as a response to residents' needs, and not just as a housing solution
In developing a long-term rehabilitation plan, one should not hesitate to ask "big questions" and propose new ideas that challenge "business as usual" in various areas – all together with the community, localities and local bodies. A regional approach is very important for streamlining rehabilitation efforts, creating a shared story, identifying levers of change and increasing resilience, and is also important for preventing socioeconomic gaps from worsening after a disaster.
Shahar Soler, Deputy Director General of Strategic Planning at the Planning Authority, says, "Since the war began, the Planning Administration has invested considerable efforts in promoting immediate and long-term solutions for the rehabilitation of residents and communities that were harmed in the area of the Takuma region. Within this framework, a number of processes are being promoted in the areas of licensing and planning.
"The review that was carried out, which examined the rehabilitation processes of disaster zones around the world, is critical in order to guide the continuation of operations, in a way that will lead to the fastest and highest quality rehabilitation of the area, in full coordination and partnership with its residents and while learning from other processes carried out around the world."
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