In a stormy discussion held today (Monday) in the National Security Committee, most of the speakers presented a unified position on the need for a unified body that will address the issue of the CSCs with regard to the lack of authority and budget in order to provide a response to the defense of the communities.
"We saw on 7.10 that those who provided the response were the CSCs and the alert squads": Chairman of the National Association of CSCs Itai Hoffman
Committee Chairman MK Zvi Fogel announced that another discussion would be held on the subject, saying: "We must run in two stages, one immediately, how to preserve capabilities and increase strengths and enable CSCs to carry out their duties. In the second stage, there are two options – one party takes responsibility for everything, which is the preferable option, or one council that will be organic – if under the IDF, all of it is the IDF, and if not, then not."
"CSOs and security officers must take responsibility for human life, but they must be given authority and means to do so. We will soon have a discussion about the status, to see what the gaps are, and also about the future. If we do not update the security concept for civil defense, we will again encounter 7.10 with greater intensity. I would not be surprised if tomorrow Palestinians leave Jenin and attack us," Fogel warned.
MK Michael Biton, Chairman of the Subcommittee for Security Concept and Force Buildup: "The Iron Swords War has powerfully highlighted the importance and contribution of the alert squads, CSCs and corporals. These should be equipped with the best equipment, similar to infantry soldiers. In addition, responsibility for the alert squads is currently divided between three different bodies: the IDF, the Border Police and the police. There is no doubt that this is the time to formalize and anchor their status, and to place the responsibility in this matter on only one professional body and one government ministry."
"Responsibility for the alert squads today is divided between three different bodies: the IDF, the Border Police and the police." Michael Bitton, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Itai Hoffman, Chairman of the National Federation of CSCs: "It is important to promote a solution of a unified national body, with the ability to provide a real response, for the security of the citizens of Israel, with authority for the CSCs and the classes that are prepared to handle the incident. Today I am a CSO, a citizen in every respect. If there is a criminal incident in the community, there are no policing powers and it is impossible to provide a response, especially when we know that the army and the police take time to arrive. We saw on 7.10 that those who provided the response were the CSOs and the alert squads, which prevented a much larger disaster, and if we had been better prepared in the localities, the scale of the disaster would have been reduced. The chief of staff told me that he couldn't refuel the security vehicle because the budget for fuel ran out."
Cpl. Itzik Amar, resourceful, says: I started fighting with 2 weapons and a pistol. I didn't receive any orders or warnings from the army. Bounces the friends, goes on for two weeks without dialogue with the army. Even in the previous escalation in Magen and Arrow, the army was not there, and the local authority is the one filling the place. Where is the issue of command and control, sector boundaries between the Home Front Command and Southern Command, egos between generals? Who is in charge of the CSOs? For the first time, I hear from the Defense Ministry that they are responsible."
Preparedness squad (archive), photo: Eyal Margolin/Ginny
"During the fighting, I changed 4 commanders a day. Just madness. There are missing security components, I don't have a security route in the community, I can't travel there. There's a thicket of forest and just a terrorist shoots, I don't have to enter the community, I don't have a fence and I don't have lighting or a war room or communications. If an alert squad isn't perfect and there's no POSH, we're in trouble. I don't know how to convince the residents to return to the community."
Noam Shilsberg from the Ministry of Defense: "A committee was established and it was decided to upgrade the status of CSCs and employ them as civilian IDF employees. Since then, the number of CSCs has increased. According to the recommendation, CSCs will be required to pass competency tests and receive full combat equipment. The committee is advancing the proposal on the matter." MK Ariel Kellner adds: "How is it possible that they didn't have a discussion with the CSOs? In the end, you need one body that comes and deals with them, you need the state to be run as one body, the whole story has to be integrated under one body."
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us