Head of the National Emergency Authority, Res. Brig. Gen. Itzik Bar, said in an interview with the Ynet studio that "Israel is at a medium-low level of preparedness for earthquakes." When asked whether we might see scenes similar to those in Venezuela in the event of an earthquake in the country, he responded "absolutely," and explained Israel's preparedness: "Preparedness takes years, with a budget of 17 billion shekels. There was a gap of 80,000 buildings that were not prepared for earthquakes, but it has been reduced in recent years. The challenge is 10 cities with potential for severe damage, mainly near the Syrian-African Rift."