Last update - 00:00 04/02/2007
Four towns want tax benefits given to those 500m closer to Gaza
By Mijal Grinberg, Haaretz Correspondent
Four communities in the Eshkol Regional Council have asked to be included among towns surrounding the Gaza Strip which are given tax benefits and building reinforcements to protect against Qassam rocket fire.
According to existing government policy, towns within 7 kilometers from the Gaza Strip border are eligible for these benefits. The four communities asking to be included are located 7.5 kilometers from the border, just 500 meters away from the designating lines.
Due to a 500 meter distance, these communities are not protected against Qassam rockets, which have a launching range of 9 kilometers and more.
"Just a month and a half ago a Qassam rocket landed across the school where the children from these communities study, and the school was still found to be outside of the seven kilometer range " said Eli Aharon, deputy head of the Eshkol Regional Council.
In June 2005, the Knesset approved granting tax benefits to communities near the Gaza Strip, known as "the Gaza envelope."
Aharon said that according to the policy, 22 of the 29 communities in the regional council receive these benefits. The four communities pushing for inclusion are Sadeh Nitzan, Ohad, Shohar and Talmei Yosef.
The other three communities not entitled to these benefits are located 12 kilometers from the Gaza Strip border, therefore further from the threat of rockets.