Fortifying Schools in Ashkelon

The Minister of Religious Affairs, Itzhak Cohen has notified Shlomo Cohen, Ashkelon's Deputy Mayor, that the government has approved the plan to fortify the unprotected schools and kindergartens in Ashkelon against rocket attacks. Minister Cohen, a resident of Ashkelon, assisted the communication between Ashkelon and the government - with the help of Yuli Tamir, the Minister of Education.

The program will start in schools and kindergartens that currently have no bomb shelters or other protection against rocket attacks. The project will be funded by the Ministry of Defence. Mobile reinforced concrete shelters ("Miguniyot") will be placed in schoolyards.

Mayor Benny Vaknin said that he hopes the execution will be quick and take place without delay - because of the security situation. Saturday's rocket attack, where a missile damaged a school was a graphic demonstration of what can happen in the case of unprotected educational institutions.

The above photo shows a teacher in the wreckage-strewn computer lab at the school in Ashkelon that was hit by a Hamas rocket this last Saturday. (Photo by Joshua Mitnick: http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c40_a15075/News/Israel.html)