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23 Kislev 5761 - December 20, 2000 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Why Weren't the Buses in Gush Katif Protected Against Bombs?
by Betzalel Kahn

The bus taking children and teachers from Kfar Darom in Gush Katif on Cheshvan 22 was protected against gunfire, but not against bombs.

Gush Katif communities are currently demanding transport by the IDF in bombproof buses. In Yehuda and Shomron, many buses are protected against gunfire, while some have been bomb-proofed. However, this requires heavy financial resources, to the tune of tens of millions of shekel.

Since Rosh Hashanah the IDF has laid out 48.8 million shekel for vehicle protection, strengthening strategic positions and for the acquisition of protective equipment in the territories. Half of the amount invested is not backed by any approved budget. The IDF has also recently issued a wide variety of equipment such as guns, steel helmets and armored personnel carriers amounting to approximately NIS 6.7 million.

The IDF demands that the Government add an addition 92 million shekel to this sum, due to the protective measures it has taken until now and is due to complete in the near future. The IDF, for example, provides the Central and Southern Commands with seven protected jeeps every week, in order to overcome discrepancies in the number of protected vehicles moving about in the territories. All told, the Commands will receive 100 protected jeeps within the next four months. The cost of one protected jeep is NIS 360,000 as opposed to a regular jeep which costs NIS 146,000.

Even after the IDF completes its project of equipping soldiers with vests resistant to a number of types of bullets -- providing the soldiers with the best possible protection -- only 50% of soldiers in the territories will receive them. Each vest costs NIS 8,000, while a regular bulletproof vest costs just NIS 1200. The IDF recently completed refurbishment of the IDF position at the Netzarim junction which was severely attacked at the beginning of the uprising, at a cost of one million shekel. The IDF Technological and Logistic Department is currently renovating the Termit outpost on the border of the Gaza Strip and Egypt. This military position is a permanent target for shooting, stoning and the throwing of incendiary bottles from the Palestinian side of the border.

The IDF Technological and Logistic Department says that although there are no funds available to cover all that is involved in protection of the territories, there is no choice but to continue, because of the serious outcome liable to result if IDF soldiers, vehicles and positions are not protected.

 

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