To that end, Public Security, Education Ministry and Union of Local Authorities officials have begun meeting to discuss security arrangements.

The intelligence community warns that a fully renewed campaign by Arab terrorists may include attacks on schools located in areas bordering the Green Line between Israeli and PA areas. Security officials reported that a terrorist dressed as a student, teacher or security guard may target a school, carrying a school bag or backpack containing a bomb. Other bleak scenarios put forth included a car bomb that would crash a school gate, or a bomb-laden ambulance, public vehicle or delivery truck. Attack scenarios also included a lone terrorist armed with an automatic weapon, as well as multiple terrorists working in unison.

There are 9,405 kindergartens in Israel, and 2,924 schools, for a total of 12,329 educational facilities. Currently, there are 3,735 school security guards being salaried by Israel Police in addition to 813 guards funded by the Jewish Agency. As of now, on the first two days of the school year, there will be 4,548 guards, 3,611 policemen and 2,219 volunteers protecting the nation’s schools. From the third day of the school year, however, only one-third of the nation’s educational facilities will have a security guard, leaving hundreds of thousands of students more vulnerable to terror attacks.

Yoska Kastel, who holds the security portfolio in the Union of Local Authorities, explains that, while the figures are alarming, nothing has changed. The situation was the same last year, he added. Both the Union and Ministry of Education officials have placed responsibility for the security of the schools on police shoulders. Kastel explained that the police are doing what they can, given the budget allocated.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 15th, 2003 and is filed under hotnews.