| The Eilat Municipality is gearing up to provide assistance for the cities within rocket range from Gaza. The city is once again preparing to give whatever help is needed for residents of the area affected by the security situation. The first stage was a call to Eilati families who would be willing to host families fleeing the shelling. Along with that, evaluation of the situation to expand the assistance by the tourism entities will continue.
On Sunday, deputy- and substitute mayor Eli Lankri convened municipal and tourism entities in order to make initial preparations for extending help. During that morning Lankri spoke with Sderot mayor Dovid Buskila and with Netivot mayor Yechiel Zohar, giving them moral support in the name of the Eilat residents while updating them about Eilat's preparations for the possibility of absorbing groups, in complete coordination with the municipalities and their social services, to the extent the help is needed and able to be given. Similar approaches were made to the mayors of neighbouring towns affected by the security situation.
The meeting was attended by the Municipal General Director, Avi Cohen; his deputy and head of education and community, Drori Ganiel; the head municipal security officer, Ilan Hadida; the manager of the supervision and enforcement division, Rami Ben Dovid; a representative of the social services division, Lili Oren; the manager of the volunteer unit of the social services division, Amira Edri; representative of the Red Sea Tourism Administration, Shmulik Tagar; and the general director of the Eilat Hotels Association, Shabi Shai.
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Lankri reminded those gathered that Eilat is a warm and welcoming city and that already there had been calls during the morning from residents offering to open their homes to families from the affected area. "The city of Eilat has shown incredible city-wide mobilization in the past that included the residents of the city, the hotels, businesses and attractions, who unceasingly contributed rooms or lodging, discounts at attractions, meals, clothing, and of course putting up families in private homes," Lankri added.
It may be remembered that about half a year ago the city of Eilat together with the Eilat Hotels Association hosted some 100 residents of Sderot who were the guests of honour at Eilat's 59th anniversary celebration. During the second Lebanon war Eilat housed thousands of refugees from the Hizbollah shelling of civilian areas, putting them up in absorption centres, hotels, and private homes.
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