"Weather damage: NIS 130 million" - Finance Committee calls to determine floods natural disasterr

Following the weather, the Finance Committee has decided that it will work to determine compensation for natural damage under the law. This is in the wake of the damage done to business owners and private individuals in the intense wave of rains that hit Israel.
The Capital Market Authority said about 4,500 applications were submitted to the insurance companies. The company's estimate indicates weather damage totaling NIS 130 million. The Deputy Commissioner of Fire said: We warned in advance that the systems would collapse. We need NIS 30 million, and the political situation paralyzes us due to the fact that the state of Israel operates a transitional government that is not authorized to allocate funds beyond the 2019 budget.
Following a hearing on the weather, the Finance Committee called for legislation to determine compensation for a natural disaster, as well as immediate compensation for operating businesses in Nahariya. At the end of the discussion, committee chairman Moshe Gaffney stated that he would approach Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare the floods a natural disaster, with a view to helping farmers compensate. .
In response, a representative from the Capital Market Authority stated that they had ordered the insurance companies to prioritize weather-related claims. "We have an order of magnitude of 4,500 inquiries for insurance companies. The insurance companies currently estimate damages amounting to NIS 130 million."
Deputy Fire and Rescue Commissioner Shimon Ben Ner noted that fire and extinguishers are doing a tremendous job. "We continue our activities, we are a body in the making and the political situation paralyzes us. We did not wait for our systems to collapse, we warned in advance that a control system similar to that of MDA is needed. In evidence their system was the only one that did not collapse. More systems are needed." The chairman also added that he would work to unite the rescue companies' focal lines.
Seven people perished in the floods: Mutti Ben Shabbat, Autumn Harari, Dean Shoshani, Majd Qassem Su'ed, Eran Hernstadt, Omri Abu Geneb and Ali Agbaria. Knesset members, mayors affected by floods, emergency representatives, the Ministry of Finance, business owners from Nahariya and representatives of insurance companies participated in the discussion.
Elad Menachem, a Nahariya business owner, said: "I want to say thank you for the stage, it is very important to us. A lot of businesses are dealing with uncertainty. "I don't know how the insurance companies will help us."
According to Adv. Roi Cohen, President of Lahav - the Chamber of Independent Organizations and Small Businesses, "Nobody can answer me. This is not just Nahariya's problem. Small businesses are the country's freelancers. Business owners came from Nahariya to shout their cries. Enough, it can't go on like this anymore. The attitude of small business owners needs to be changed. "
Shani Buzaglo, a business owner from the Arena Mall in Nahariya, said of similar sentiments: "I want someone to give me an answer. I need to bring my children a living.
Nahariya Mayor Ronen Marley said: "The damage to Nahariya is significant, and besides the severe damage to the infrastructure there is also serious damage to business owners. There are 3,500 businesses in Nahariya and small towns, and 200 of them are disabled. I fired the business owners from Arnona this month."
Knesset Member Ahmed Tibi, who initiated the hearing, said: "These are unprecedented events that have occurred. The pictures we saw are not suitable for 2020 and therefore we must discuss the drainage capabilities of these communities. In my opinion, deaths were preventable, and this requires discussion and drawing conclusions. "There are damages, losses to families and property damage, and that requires a hearing on compensation for people who are damaged. Some people have lost their homes or businesses, and that requires us to respond."
MK Likud's Knesset Member Barak added: "We are seeing climate change, and my fear was that the election campaign will take attention from these cases and we will not address them now. I live in central Tel Aviv and I had to cross a river to get to my car. But small businesses have no legislation. "
Meanwhile, Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai on Monday evening at the Tel Aviv City Council meeting addressed the recent floods that hit the city and during which the disaster of the elevator occurred. "It is important to mention that in our city there was a major disaster, the death of two young people in shocking circumstances," Huldai began his remarks. "I have visited the families and, as I told them, here too the subject will be investigated. Right now, the police are investigating the incident and we will assist with clarification, and I hope so will others, such as rescue and rescue officials."

photo: Adina Valman, Knesset p.r