Beit Shemesh Mayor Shmuel Greenberg participated today (Tuesday) in a special discussion in the Knesset Finance Committee - on the subject of 'Compensation Outline for Beit Shemesh Residents' - initiated by MK Kati Sheetrit, which dealt with the restoration of the damage caused to the city following the missile strike in Operation 'Roar of the Lion'.
The discussion was chaired by the committee's chairman, MK Hanoch Malbitsky, and was attended by MK Kati Shitrit, MK Moshe Gafni, and MK Uri Maklev, Deputy Mayor Moshe Shitrit, representatives of the Tax and Property Tax Authority, the Government Authority for Urban Renewal, representatives of the municipality, and residents of the affected neighborhood.
During the discussion, it was noted that approximately 300 residents were forced to evacuate their homes after the missile strike on March 1, which killed 9 people, including 4 children. The discussion focused on the fact that many residents receive only partial compensation because the compensation is calculated based on the area registered in the municipality's files and not on the actual situation, given that the neighborhood was built decades ago, when registration was irregular, and approvals for expansions were not documented.
In addition, it emerged that 5 synagogues in the neighborhood were damaged, some were completely destroyed, and that they also have a similar problem.
During the discussion, the mayor presented the extent of the damage caused to the city and noted that Beit Shemesh suffered the most severe damage among the municipalities during the round. He said that in addition to the heavy loss of life, many residential buildings, over 20 public buildings and several synagogues were damaged, with one of them being completely destroyed.
MK Kati Sheetrit called on the state to provide a broad response to the affected residents, saying that there is no room for bureaucratic showdowns with families who lost their homes as a result of the war. "These families paid the heaviest price. They did not choose the war and did not invite it. The state must show responsibility, provide them with all the necessary assistance and allow them to return to life with dignity.".
Mayor Shmuel Greenberg said: "There are people here who came to Beit Shemesh decades ago and built their home, and their world was destroyed. The municipality is working to establish a temporary synagogue for the worshippers whose synagogue was destroyed, already in preparation for the Tishrei holidays until the permanent building, but we are seeking to find a way that will allow them to assist and compensate them so that they can rebuild their home.".
MK Moshe Gafni proposed declaring Beit Shemesh a disaster-stricken area and allocating a special budget to the municipality: "It cannot be that this neighborhood in Beit Shemesh will be fixed up by the Iranians. Now they are starting to talk about what was given 50 years ago, right after the missile fell and killed so many people.".
MK Uri Maklev: "The Biton family, a family that lost 3 children, who were born after adoption, and their property. They cannot return to Beit Shemesh, and their rehabilitation requires living in another place, they are not being given a solution. There are those who are interested in staying there, and want to rehabilitate there, but there are those who are not, and cannot return there, and they are not being given the solution. We need to come here and see how to solve the problem outside the accepted framework.".
A property tax representative clarified that in cases of deviation from the taboo, the law does not allow for compensation, but in cases where there is a possibility of regulation, the authority will do everything possible. He also noted that he will examine the case of a family that does not want to build in the place where they lived, and what response can be given to them.
Zion Revach, who lost his 16-year-old son, Gabriel Baruch, in the attack and who originally built one of the destroyed synagogues himself, also participated in the discussion. He noted that he has historical documents indicating approval for the synagogue's construction: "I didn't ask for anything personal, I asked that the synagogue be rebuilt. That the synagogue be a memorial to the nine victims.".
The committee chairman concluded that after receiving the data from the municipality, a follow-up discussion will be held to examine an outline that will allow for a solution to the situation. He emphasized that due to the approaching end of the current Knesset, it is necessary to act quickly to reach a solution for the affected residents.
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