A solution to shielding northern Israel: Financial imperatives and mortgages - opinion

Last week, a UAV penetrated Israel’s airspace and struck a car in Metula. This follows an incident two weeks prior when a suicide drone exploded. Daily, we face new alerts about unmanned aerial vehicles breaching our borders, targeting villages and military bases in the North. The most recent UAV was documented launching missiles at Metula, hitting a building. The barrage of attacks on the North continues unabated.

Since the war began, public demand for building fortifications has surged. Many cities are now actively shielding schools and public institutions. However, for private homes and apartments without safe rooms, the initial high demand for fortifications has now plateaued.

This stagnation is not due to a newfound sense of security among Israelis. Instead, it stems from the displacement of tens of thousands of citizens who cannot oversee the fortification process of their homes and are unable to bear its high financial cost.

The cost of adding a safe room to an existing apartment is about 180,000 NIS. Given engineering constraints, adding a safe room isn’t always feasible. Consequently, the Home Front Command (HFC) has approved an alternative method to upgrade an existing room into a safe space using advanced technology, which reinforces walls by covering them with proprietary panels, replaces existing openings with fortified windows and doors, and easily shifts electrical, communication, and HVAC infrastructure. All shielded panels arrive ready to install quickly, as part of a dedicated shielding system approved by HFC. This upgrade, akin to a local apartment renovation, does not require evacuation and can be completed in 7-10 workdays. The cost ranges from 105,000 to 140,000 NIS, depending on the size of the designated room.

Elevating protection of citizens 

As the Home Front has become a critical player in this conflict and with civilian population centers frequently targeted, we cannot leave our citizens unprotected. The grim prospect of an unprotected North, extending from the border to Haifa, looms over us. We must find financial solutions to expand fortifications for unprotected homes. This need is starkly evident every day.

A significant step forward occurred last month when the Bank of Israel introduced regulations permitting the cost of fortifications to be added to mortgages. This allows the cost to be spread over up to 30 years with manageable monthly payments. For those navigating bank bureaucracy, financial advisers, like those who work together with Ortech, can assist in securing favorable terms. Additionally, waiving the Value Added Tax (VAT) could provide a 17% discount for citizens fortifying their homes.

If the national outline plan (Tama 38) and construction evacuation projects have failed to realize citywide shielding in the last 16 years, we must promote achievable solutions for citizens to fortify their homes and take ownership and control over their home protection. Such solutions will pay off both financially and security-wise. Shielded apartments often rent at higher prices compared to unshielded ones, which can remain vacant for months. Upgrading affordable shielding, free from bureaucracy, enhances an apartment’s market value, allowing owners to regain costs through higher rents. This is a win-win scenario for all parties and deserves swift implementation.

The writer is the CEO of Ortech Defense Systems.