One Million Damage Claims Highlight Cost of Israel’s Years of War
Israel’s compensation fund is older than the state itself. In an era of permanent conflict, it’s busier than ever — and risks running out of cash.
Janna Yehuda of Israel’s Property Tax Compensation Fund examines missile damage in Kiryat Ata near Haifa, Israel.
Photographer: Kobi Wolf for BloombergJanna Yehuda makes her way through the rubble inside a semi-detached house in Kiryat Ata, a small industrial town in northern Israel that’s home to more than 240 factories across the food, chemicals and automobile industries.
The town lies just 15 kilometers (9 miles) from Haifa, putting it within range of Iranian missiles that have heavily targeted infrastructure in the city’s bay area during two recent wars. Two days earlier, a cluster “bomblet” tore through the roof, barely missing the home’s residents, who escaped just in time to a backyard bomb shelter.