Between concrete and leadership, the failure of silent protection in the communities of Arab and Druze society | Opinion column

Every time the alarms break the silence in the communities of the north, the Negev, and the Triangle, the same automatic response arises, an accusing finger pointed at the state. The arguments about budgetary neglect and distributional discrimination are true and painful, but over the years they have become an all-too-convenient smokescreen. Behind it lies a truth that no one wants to say out loud: the home front in the Arab and Druze communities was not only depopulated by the central government, it was also depopulated by the lack of vision and prioritization by the local leadership.

The Situation: Life and Death Gaps

The hard data paints a reality of two states and one home front. According to reports from the State Comptroller and studies by the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), while in the Jewish public about 70% of residents have access to a standard protected space, in Arab society the figure drops to less than 30%. The most extreme gap is recorded in public shelters, only about 0.3% of the 11,775 public shelters in Israel are located in Arab communities. Moreover, in Arab communities there are only 37 public shelters, of which 8 are not at all standard. A reality that produces statistical lawlessness in every shooting incident.

However, the problem is not just a shortage of concrete. According to the Ministry of Finance, there is a worrying phenomenon of budget underutilization. Funds intended for infrastructure and protection within the framework of five-year plans approved in the last decade often remain in the coffers. Simply because the authorities have not been able to produce approved statutory plans or manage complex engineering projects. The lack of a push by the authority for community protection solutions leaves the ordinary citizen completely exposed.

The HIC trap, when the army becomes administrative crutches

Another disturbing aspect was revealed in examining the relationship between the local authority and the Home Front Command. The HCL (the liaison unit for the authority) was intended to be a bridge of coordination and professional assistance, but in practice it has become an artificial respirator for many authorities.

If it weren't for the Home Front Command's massive investment in building emergency files and training human resources, some of the authorities would be functioning in a complete vacuum. The reality in which the army is the one who has to drag the authority to practice and prepare, instead of the authority's leadership demanding and leading, is a testament to the local leadership. The complete reliance on the Home Front Command's reserve officers creates an illusion of readiness, while in reality, without the military crutches, the organizational infrastructure in many councils collapses.

From tenure to life, the required change in perception

True leadership is not measured only by the amount of budget it brings, the level of education or welfare services, but also by its ability to establish a professional system that functions when the sky is on fire. The claim that there is no budget no longer holds water in the face of data from the Israel Democracy Institute, which indicates a shortage of professional functionaries (such as full-time municipal security officers) and the absence of a culture of civic discipline.

To change the equation, a municipal emergency plan is required:

1. Prioritizing protection as a flagship project: No more budgetary firefighting, but placing protection at the top of the planning and political priorities.
2. Professionalism over relationships: Appointing skilled emergency teams who will know how to utilize state budgets to the last shekel, without relying exclusively on military assistance.
3. Leadership Responsibilities: The heads of authorities and the leadership of Arab and Druze society must stop accepting neglect. They must create consistent political pressure, not as a one-time event after a war or disaster, but as a daily demand for the security of their citizens.
   
   At the end of the day, when the alarm sounds, the missile does not distinguish between a budget that was not transferred, a shelter that was not built, an emergency plan that was not formulated, and the leadership that chose to postpone difficult decisions. Those who are not willing to take responsibility for the lives of their residents in times of emergency are not worthy of their trust in normal times either.