According to a report published by the “Haaretz” newspaper and addressed to the Israeli “Ministry of Defense,” the security establishment has not taken the necessary measures to fortify these installations, despite the escalating threats and repeated warnings over the past years.
Englman affirmed that the “shortcomings” he had previously warned about still exist even after the outbreak of “Operation Swords of Iron,” referring to the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, which witnessed the launch of approximately 26,000 rockets, projectiles, and drones towards Israel.
The report indicates that the Ministry of Defense, the army, and the National Security Council have not yet determined which installations need fortification, nor have they developed concrete plans to protect them.
In another context, the State Comptroller expressed concern about the government’s lack of oversight of institutes and laboratories conducting research in the field of biological weapons, warning of the potential leakage of sensitive information to armed groups, given the absence of an organized mechanism for information exchange between relevant parties.
The report explains that the Ministry of Health has not taken any steps to regulate this file since 2008, despite the existence of potential threat scenarios within the security establishment indicating the possibility of a biological attack against Israel.
The examination conducted by the State Comptroller’s Office, which included 43 institutions working in the field of biological weapons research, revealed security problems in the laboratories, gaps in emergency plans, and weak oversight of work rules pertaining to hazardous materials.
It is worth noting that the State Comptroller’s Office is the body responsible for monitoring the performance of state ministries and bodies, and is elected for a term of seven years through a secret vote in the Knesset.
