During the "Am Kalavi" war, interception fragments fell near the Haredi neighborhood in Haifa, blocking the only access route to the neighborhood.
Thousands of residents were besieged in their homes for long hours during the height of the war.
The residents contacted the municipality several times and even the State Comptroller, who commented in detail on the danger facing tens of thousands of residents if they had to be evacuated.
According to the residents, they feel abandoned to their fate.
The State Comptroller's report noted that the Haifa Municipality failed to properly address a deficiency concerning the safety of nine neighborhoods in the city. "Given the danger posed to residents of Haifa's enclosed neighborhoods during emergencies, the Haifa Municipality must work to pave an additional access route in all enclosed neighborhoods within its territory," the report states.
City Council member Avraham Stern said that this is a wake-up call for decision-makers: "In emergencies, God forbid, we still have to enter or exit the neighborhood. It's simply a matter of life and death.".
The council member added that in a check with municipal officials, it was stated that the solution to the hybrid neighborhoods is being handled by the relevant offices, which is why he calls on those involved to get to the heart of the matter and hurry to bring a solution as soon as possible to the hybrid neighborhoods, including Ramat Vizhnitz, when there is a solution without major costs.
The Haifa Municipality responded: "The municipality is investing a lot of resources in preparing escape routes. In the Ramat Vizhnitz neighborhood, there is an emergency path that connects to Rabbi Kaniel Street and from there to Ruppin Road.".
Response from neighborhood representatives: Although there is a narrow, winding path that is usually locked, and in an emergency, this would not be a solution. Only during the last war did they wait two hours until they got the key to the lock.
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