Residents of a town in the Binyamin region told Arutz Sheva in an interview that they had felt as if they were “living in a war zone” during the height of the storm that hit Israel late last week. Pummeled by wind, cold, and snow, residents of the town said that they abandoned their homes en masse after it became clear that authorities were unable or unwilling to help them.
Because of security concerns, the name of the town was not announced, out of concern that Arabs in the area would invade the town in the near total absence of the residents.
“People were without power, water, or phone service since Thursday,” one resident of the town said. “People were reduced to digging holes in the snow to preserve their food, since refrigerators weren't working. From 4:00 on, when the sun started setting, residents would take out a few candles and light them in order not to be completely in the dark. It was like being in a war zone,” the resident said.
After passing what was probably the most difficult Shabbat of their lives, the vast majority of residents packed up and left Saturday night, to stay with friends or relatives in more “civilized” parts of the country. Speaking to Arutz Sheva, one resident said that he and his family were the only ones left.
“Most of us live in caravans,” the resident said. “The leaders of this community did almost nothing to prepare us for the storm, or to help us after it hit. The local authority doesn't care about us – it has not sent anyone here to even check if we are alive. It was like being in a war zone,” he added.