The war with Iran has once again pushed Israeli society into a nation-wide emergency. While missile and drone attacks affect the entire country, Arab localities enter such escalations from a lower baseline of preparedness, shaped by persistent gaps in civilian protection infrastructure and emergency response capacities.
Overall, these gaps are well known today, as efforts to address the unique emergency response needs of Arab communities were launched soon after October 7th. While there have been advances, inadequate training, equipment, and access to effective shelter remain significant issues.
A key change in response to the current escalation is that emergency coordination for Arab communities is being centralized by the Emergency Committee of the National Council of Heads of Arab Local Authorities (NCHALA). This centralization is the latest development in the efforts to create a permanent headquarters for emergency preparedness for Arab communities, after the one set up in partnership with the Ministry of Social Equality was shut down in May 2024. According to Arab local leadership, the Sadad Emergency Center for Arab society is expected to begin operating in the coming days as a more formal , allowing coordinated support for Arab communities in the north, center, and south.
Building on prior work, the Emergency Committee quickly assessed the current needs and capacities of local authorities, working in partnership with Roeey Yessod, Chief of Staff at the Authority for Economic Development of Arab Society, and civil society organizations. The immediate focus is on ensuring minimum life-saving capacity, Arabic-language communications, and psychological support.
In this document, we present the prioritized areas of emergency needs identified by the Committee, while also highlighting long-term challenges that require sustained attention.
The January 2026 State Comptroller report found that only 0.3% of public shelters in Israel, 37 in total, are located in Arab localities, a figure that remains unchanged since the previous escalation with Iran in June 2025. In-home safe rooms (mamad, Hebrew) are also largely absent, primarily due to unregulated construction that does not allow for the addition of safe rooms. The situation is especially dire in unrecognized villages in the Negev, where an estimated 92% of Bedouin residents lack any form of sheltering. While gaps in civilian shelter infrastructure remain a critical risk, addressing them requires long-term planning and resources. The current coordinated effort focuses on highlighting these gaps and advancing long-term solutions, alongside meeting urgent preparedness needs.
Since June 2025, Arab communities continue to operate from an uneven baseline of emergency response capabilities. While some cities, like Umm al-Fahm and Deir al-a Asad, have maintained high readiness level through updated procedures and ongoing training, others still lack basic operations capacities. For example, several
There is a noticeable improvement particularly in emergency coordination, rescue and extraction teams, psycho-social and medical support. Around 30 local authorities that previously did not have rescue teams now have active units, supported in part by grants provided in June 2025.
Despite this progress, the number of local authorities with high operational readiness remains small. Even where dedicated teams exist, capacity is limited. In Umm al-Fahm, for example, roughly 30 volunteers serve a city of over 60,000 residents.
Building on lessons from the previous escalation, the Committee is now prioritizing “minimum life-saving capacity”: basic search and rescue (SAR) training and equipment in each local authority needed to enable an initial response until professional emergency forces arrive. Their mapping of capacities includes a detailed breakdown of required equipment and associated costs, allowing for thoughtful planning and gradual, responsible gap-closing.
A preliminary budget outlining local authorities’ needs in this area was prepared to support the effort. Initial estimates indicate that approximately NIS 6 million would be required to ensure basic search-and-rescue equipment and training capabilities across Arab municipalities. While some costs may be absorbed by municipalities, many local authorities have limited fiscal flexibility and will require external support.
Along with shelter, access to and compliance with official guidelines also saves lives during emergencies. The Committee, in partnership with Home Front Command, began disseminating emergency guidelines in Arabic to the public, but resources are needed for social media campaigns, radio broadcast, and additional communication channels. This effort requires ongoing funding to ensure continuity of public guidance broadcasts.
Civil society organizations, including Tamar, the Trauma Coalition, and others, along with established in recent years, provide mental health support. Due to the lack of proper sheltering, rates of PTSD among Arab children are very high, creating an urgent need for a variety of mental health interventions and support services. So far, several Arabic-language webinars have been held, primarily for parents of children coping with trauma. However, there is still a critical shortage of therapists and treatment programs, and many remain unaware of available support.
The current escalation coincides with Ramadan, a major religious and social holiday, with many in Arab society fasting during the day and holding Iftar meals in the evening. Traditionally a period of increased spending, Ramadan is one of the most important seasons for businesses in Arab society. As many citizens are self-employed or work in small family businesses, reduced commercial activity and public uncertainty are already harming household incomes and local economies.
As in past crises, emergency conditions quickly trigger heightened sensitivities and intercommunal tensions. Arab citizens face waves of incitement and racist reactions, and this year, reports of arrests for anti-war statements contribute to an overall heightened sense of fear and insecurity in Arab society.
Beyond immediate life-saving needs, local authorities and civil society professionals are also raising concerns about the broader civilian impact of prolonged emergency conditions, including disruptions to education frameworks for children, the economic impact on small businesses, and workers’ rights. While these issues are not the primary focus of the current emergency preparedness effort, they remain important considerations as the situation evolves.
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