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.
