Bureaucratic paralysis weakens Israel internally while terror enemies exploit gaps meant to protect innocent lives.
A damning report by the State Comptroller of Israel exposes deep and systemic failures in Israel’s civilian emergency preparedness, laid bare during the war imposed by Hamas.
Based on audits across dozens of ministries and local authorities, the report paints a troubling picture of dysfunction, fragmentation, and neglect. Essential systems—healthcare, civil defense, education, and mental health—were unable to function cohesively or deliver adequate protection and services to citizens under fire.
In cities such as Ashkelon, Givatayim, Holon, and Gilboa, public bomb shelters were found unfit for use—plagued by rusted doors, darkness, blocked exits, leaks, missing signage, and years of abandonment. These are not minor oversights; they are life-threatening failures during rocket barrages deliberately targeting civilians.
Hospitals in high-risk zones were also dangerously unprepared. More than half of hospital beds lacked proper fortification. Critical facilities—including operating rooms, ICUs, and catheterization labs—were exposed. Shockingly, only 17% of catheterization rooms met mandatory shielding requirements.
Mental resilience systems collapsed under pressure. Resilience centers were overwhelmed, while the Ministry of Health failed to deploy a reinforced national mental-health response. Trauma care for children and affected families was fragmented and insufficient.
The most alarming conclusion: nearly one-third of Israeli citizens remain inadequately protected from rocket fire—despite years of warning, budgets, and lessons from previous conflicts.
Israel’s enemies exploit every weakness. While Israel’s military superiority deters terror externally, internal bureaucratic decay undermines civilian safety. Accountability is no longer optional—it is a national security imperative.
