Head of Home Front Defense Ministry resigns

The director-general of the Home Front Defense Ministry announced his resignation Tuesday after less than a year in office, claiming that the office had been left toothless to carry out its mission.

Director General Dan Ronen will continue working until the end of April.

In a letter sent to employees, Ronen attributed his decision to the failure of the Defense Ministry to delegate authority to the Home Front Defense Ministry, a move he said proves that “without authority, there is no responsibility.”

Ronen decried the “misconduct” of the Defense Ministry regarding its affiliate ministry and its employees, he wrote, but did not elaborate.

Ronen also attacked the ministry’s lack of autonomous infrastructure, and its dependence on the Defense Ministry for logistical matters, which he said impairs its ability to function.

Ronen’s predecessor, Gabi Ophir, resigned from the position in June 2013 after eight months, citing a lack of clear policy.

Jurisdiction over the task of home front defense is divided between various ministries and organizations. The IDF, the police, the Defense Ministry, the Public Security Ministry, the Home Front Defense Ministry and local municipalities all have a part in assisting the civilian population during times of crisis, but with no clearly defined distribution of authority or structured hierarchy among them.

The Home Front Defense Ministry was established in 2011 to provide the state with emergency response in case of natural or national disasters.

Mitch Ginsburg and Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.