Burnt home in Ein Hod
Burnt home in Ein HodFlash 90

More than 200 people were left homeless by the fire that raged in northern Israel beginning on Thursday of last week. Homes were destroyed in Ein Hod, Nir Etzion, and the youth village of Yemin Orde, which is both a school and home to hundreds of teenagers, most of them immigrants to Israel.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has ordered the government to give NIS 2,500 immediately to each person whose home was destroyed, in order to help them buy clothing and other necessities.

He has also committed to cutting back on bureaucracy to allow families to rebuild their homes as quickly as possible. A special committee will serve as the address for those whose homes or property was destroyed.

The government is considering abolishing the need for building permits for those whose homes were damaged, in order to allow reconstruction to proceed immediately.

MK Zevulun Orlev proposed that the government take responsibility for working with insurance agencies to get the damages covered. It would be easier for the government to deal with it than for each individual family to argue their own case, he said.

All of those whose homes were destroyed or damaged have found alternate housing. Many people volunteered to have those who had fled the fire stay temporarily in their homes, so many, in fact, that there were more offers of help than people in need.

Minister of National Infrastructure Uzi Landau toured the Carmel region in order to see which services, such as water, electricity, and gas lines, would need repairs. In the future, he said, maps will be created that include all essential services.