![A tank seen at Degania Alef, the first kibbutz established by Jewish Zionist pioneers in Palestine, then under Ottoman rule](https://images.jfeed.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=jpeg,fit=contain,width=900/2024/07/25/03ea5a90-4a64-11ef-8c9e-7545f4c11d84__h268_w400.jpg)
The IDF is set to withdraw its direct protection from several settlements along the Jordan border. This decision comes despite escalating terror threats, leaving residents feeling vulnerable and abandoned.
"A Breach of Trust," Say Local Leaders
Idan Greenbaum and Itamar Matias, heads of the Jordan Valley and Springs Valley Regional Councils, didn't mince words in their scathing letter to military and government officials:
"The injustice here cries out to heaven. The IDF doesn't want to take responsibility for the settlements. We will do everything in our power to cancel this decision."
Who's Affected?
Seven settlements, some mere hundreds of meters from the Jordanian border, are caught in this security shuffle:
- Kibbutz Gesher Degania A
- Degania B
- Beit Zera
- And others within a few kilometers of the border
From Military to Ministry: What Changes?
The plan involves transferring security responsibility from the IDF to the Ministry of National Security. Residents fear this shift could lead to:
- Deterioration of security infrastructure (fences, roads)
- Reduction in emergency response teams
- Fewer weapons
- Less training for local security personnel
As of now, both the IDF spokesperson and the National Security Council have remained tight-lipped about the decision and its implications.
* Source: Galatz Radio