"Direct harm to the security of the residents": The heads of the communities in 26 of the Jordan Valley and the Spring Valley join the CSO's protest and call on the Prime Minister, the Defense Minister and the OC to immediately cancel the decision to collect weapons from the alert squads in these communities.
In recent years, the National Association of CSCs, together with the Histadrut Leumi that represents them, has been waging a protracted struggle to regulate the status of CSCs throughout the country while ensuring the safety of millions of Israelis. This struggle was reinforced after the events of Saturday on October 7.
A letter sent by the heads of the communities stated: "The damage to the CSOs and the alert squads in the Spring Valley and the Jordan Valley is fatal. It means a direct blow to the security of the communities and their residents. On Saturday, October 7, the residents of the envelope found themselves abandoned and alone in the battle. Without the on-call squads, they are fully readiness, and the results are known. Has the lesson been learned? Unfortunately, we feel that we don't. In light of the events of recent days, which preceded the dismantling of our local defense force, our feeling is that there is a complete failure of judgment on the part of the defense establishment."
Smoke over the northern border near Lebanon, photo: AFP
The residents emphasized that: "Despite and despite intelligence assessments and media reports about the Iranian buildup and its proxies in southern Syria and the tri-border area, a decision was made by the Defense Ministry to lower the threat level over all communities west of Highway 90, as if they were less vulnerable. This is despite the infiltration of a terrorist through Yarmouk into Degania, a suicide bombing attack in the community of Bikura, a suicide bombing attack in branches, arrests of border smugglers and drugs near Tzemach Junction and an attack in Beit Shean on Election Day."
"Who takes responsibility for us?"
Ayala Eitan, Chairman of the Kibbutz Reshefim Board, demands to meet with the Defense Minister and the Director General of his ministry as soon as possible: "The day before October 7 in our communities there were two weapons, and now they are trying to restore this terrible situation to its previous state. We don't understand who integrates us, and who takes responsibility for us, because everyone seems to disavow it. Let them sit down with us and the CSOs and immediately explain to us what is happening. There is a mobilized public here that is willing to take upon itself the defense of the communities. We did not ask for battalions and soldiers, but only full and equipped alert squads. We demand that little bit and right now."
Burnt house in Kibbutz Be'eri. The North doesn't want a similar scenario, Photo: Micha Brickman
Itai Hoffman, chairman of the National Histadrut's CSO, said: "The Defense Ministry must not be allowed to carry out a hijacking during wartime. This is a move of the old Israel, of before 7.10, and includes all the old conceptions that were shattered on that accursed Shabbat. I call on the Defense Ministry to stop this lawlessness."
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