The Defense Ministry is spending NIS 150 million to provide over 200 armored vehicles to village security groups on the Gaza border, northern border, and in the West Bank.
Local security groups for Gaza and the North have been under threat for years by anti-tank missiles.
On October 7, the local security groups had no independent patrol or maneuvering capability that could even resist gunfire.
Had they had such vehicles, it would not have averted the entire tragedy by a long shot, but could have saved many lives and made some of the battles more even until IDF reinforcements arrived.
Although there has been no similar specific anti-tank missile threat to date in the West Bank, where the IDF has much better control and oversight over what weapons get smuggled into the area, post-October 7 concerns have elevated regarding even smaller scale attempted Palestinian invasions.
Commander: armored vehicles are ‘significant component’ in strengthening security
A recent Shin bet operation killing a terror cell in a West Bank hospital was ordered to preempt an impending plot for one such invasion of one such Jewish village in Judea and Samaria.
The vehicles are being purchased from Plasan Reem and Fight Tech Engineering Bar Lev, after a competitive bidding process was undertaken. and are due to be provided to the local security groups in the coming months.
Defenses Commander IDF Col. Dr. Yaniv Walfer said, “purchasing armored vehicles for local security groups constitutes a significant component in strengthening security for villages on the frontlines.”
The Deputy Director for Ground Forces Acquisition Avi Mashiach said that the armored vehicles supplemented additional weapons, other defensive equipment, and individual safes for keeping weapons safe within local security individuals’ houses.
An additional error on October 7 which led to losing more lives was that local security group guns were kept in a central location not close enough for the groups to get to in some cases and so they were gunned down trying to get to their weapons.
The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) announced they will also distribute over NIS 7.5 million in the coming weeks towards the purchase of nine armored security vehicles for border communities.
IFCJ’s President Yael Eckstein said, “Well before the onset of this terrible war, we had been working to address the security needs of Israel’s communities and it is therefore a source of pride and comfort to see how that investment helped save countless lives on that fateful October day. With that knowledge and experience, we see it as our responsibility, opportunity and privilege to further expand our support in ways that we know will now help on the northern border. While we pray for safer and better days very soon, the IFCJ is actively assisting in all ways possible in defending our country and supporting the diverse needs of our people during these deeply challenging times.”
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