PM Netanyahu Holds Consultations Regarding the Weather

PM Netanyahu Holds Consultations Regarding the Weather
(Communicated by the Prime Minister’s Media Adviser)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, yesterday and today (Friday-Saturday,
13-14 December 2013), held ongoing consultations to assess the situation,
with the participation of Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch,
Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, National Infrastructures, Energy and Water
Resources Minister Silvan Shalom, Transportation and Road Safety Minister
Yisrael Katz, Social Welfare and Social Services Minister Meir Cohen, Health
Minister Yael German, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, Safed Mayor Ilan Shohat,
Israel Police Commissioner Insp.-Gen. Yohanan Danino, GOC Home Front Command
Maj.-Gen. Eyal Eisenberg, Israel Electric Corp. Chairman Yiftach Ron-Tal and
others.

Prime Minister Netanyahu defined three principal missions:

1. Saving lives is the focus of all operations. All those who need help must
be taken care of and evacuated with preference given to the elderly. The
Prime Minister stressed that the main danger is in regard to victims of the
cold. He noted that many have perished in this way in storms abroad.
Therefore, he ordered that additional security vehicles and jeeps go to
Jerusalem and said, “It is better that there be too many vehicles than too
few.”

2. Routes must be opened to all locales that are still without electricity.
The Prime Minister also ordered the evacuation of vehicles from the access
routes to Jerusalem and the opening of roads inside the capital in order to
facilitate the restoration of normal traffic by tomorrow, while giving
preference to residents of the city who wish to return to it. Public
transportation to and from the city will also be reinforced.

3. Israel must be prepared for the flooding that is anticipated as a result
of the abundant precipitation.

Prime Minister Netanyahu noted the coordination and cooperation between all
elements and sought to convey his great appreciation for the many people
involved in dealing with the stormy weather.

Prime Minister Netanyahu said, “While the peak of the storm may be behind
us, I call on the public to continue listening to instructions from the
security and rescue services. These instructions have saved many lives in
recent says. On behalf of all Israelis, I would like to express great
appreciation to the thousands who are continuing to work around the clock in
this weather.”