4,000 Shelters to Have Communication Networks Installed

IDF soldiers play with young children in a public bomb shelter in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, July 16, 2014. (Miriam Alster/FLASH90) (Miriam Alster/FLASH90)

Many shelters fell into disrepair or lacked updated technology.

By JNS

Israel’s Communications Ministry announced on Tuesday that it will fund communications infrastructure for nearly 4,000 public shelters in 65 border-area local authorities.

The funding, to provide network reception for shelters within 40 kilometers (25 miles) of a border or within Judea and Samaria, commonly known as the West Bank, will include cities such as Tiberias, Karmiel, Nahariya, and Ashkelon.

“Israel is [in a] war that will be here for many days to come,” said Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi in a written statement. “Communications services in public shelters are an essential need both on a day-to-day basis and certainly during emergencies.”

Last month, a prominent Christian evangelical organization in Jerusalem announced it had renovated 140 underground bomb shelters in the Upper Galilee as Hezbollah attacks from Lebanon continued for the third straight month.

The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem funded the $775,000 project, refurbishing 73 shelters in the town of Shlomi and 67 in the city of Ma’alot-Tarshiha, both near the northern border.

The shelters had fallen into disrepair since they were last used during the 2006 Second Lebanon War, with deficiencies including a lack of proper lighting, ventilation and plumbing.

Hamas welcomed in the new year by launching a wave of rockets towards southern and central Israel.

More than 20 rockets were launched at Israeli population centers just a few minutes after midnight on Monday, sending millions of people racing for shelter.