At the discussion of the State Control Committee, headed by MK Miki Zohar, for the appointment of a new Director of the Office of the Ombudsman, State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman related to the government handling of the rehabilitation of the north and said: "We have toured the localities of Metulla, Zar'it and Shtula, and the situation there remains severe. The heads of the authorities have reported that alongside the responses provided for the homes that received direct hits from missiles, there is a great deal of additional damage that the government is not taking care of, including damage to homes and property. The Compensation Fund relates only to areas that were directly hit by missiles and there are homes that have been damaged by neglect, by pests and other things. All this is preventing many residents from returning to their homes.
The ones who are actually helping them in getting their lives back on track are mainly volunteers, while the government system is not operating at the required speed.
It should have been expected from the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Interior that they would allocate immediate resources for the rehabilitation of the localities, without waiting for new budget approval. There was a long period where it would have been possible to prepare for the return of the residents to their homes. This is a matter of helplessness. I call upon the Prime Minister to get to the heart of the matter and promote rehabilitation in the north as soon as possible".
The Comptroller added that he had sent a letter to the Minister of National Security, where he demanded that the police reinforce its presence in the region and guard the homes that had been damaged, in order to prevent acts of looting.
As he said, "The rehabilitation of the north must be managed more effectively and speedily. These are citizens who have been forced to leave their homes for a prolonged period of time, and the state must do everything in its power in order to restore their routine".