Page 19 - shomrim-annual-2024

(Un) Rebuilding S homrim’s extensive series of reports, follow-ups, and investigations

the North: have closely tracked the war on Israel’s northern front and its far-
A Series of reaching consequences.
In-Depth At the start of the year, Shomrim exposed the hardships faced by
displaced residents still living in temporary housing, such as hotels.
Investigations In April, this was followed by the exposure of internal government

documents indicating that frontline communities were preparing for
Shuki Sadeh evacuations lasting up to one or two years. By May, additional leaked

government documents confirmed that northern residents were not
scheduled to return to their homes before the end of 2024, more than a
year after their evacuation.
In November, a Shomrim investigation shed light on the plight of
foreign agricultural workers, who—despite ongoing attacks—were
still being sent to work in fields near the conflict zone. In December,
another Shomrim exposé uncovered a last-minute decision that left
the definition of eligible communities in the government’s NIS 15 billion
($4 million) Northern Rehabilitation Plan deliberately vague—only half
the sum experts estimated was needed. The lack of clear criteria raised
fears that distant communities might drain the allocated funds and
that political interests, rather than professional assessments, would
determine funding distribution, forcing affected towns to compete for
compensation.

A burned-out vehicle near the northern
border following the war with Hezbollah.
Photo: Reuters

Shomrim | 19 | Annual Report