IDF to blanket Israel with gas masks
Home Front Command to distribute protection kits to all civilians, rather than planned 60%, starting February.
By Amos Harel Tags: Israel newsThe Home Front Command is planning to begin distribution of individual protection kits, i.e. gas masks, to every citizen starting in late February, according to a cabinet decision taken last week.
Originally, just over 60 percent of the population were to receive kits, but a decision to extend that protection to the whole country means the production of the necessary equipment has been stepped-up, and another billion shekels is needed to fund to the endeavor.
The plan is to distribute protective kits to each of the nearly eight million citizens (in line with a population estimate for 2013), over a period of three years.
Debate over how to appropriately defend against chemical and biological warfare has been ongoing at both the political and professional levels for more than a decade. Both the defense establishment and the Israel Defense Forces have been involved in discussions.
Individual protection kits, in the form of gas masks, were used during the first Gulf War in 1991.
The country was again ordered to prepare kits for possible use during the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. Following that ground invasion, and as a result of the assumption that a large portion of the gas masks were no longer useful because of the amount of time that had passed since their production, a decision was made five years ago to collect them.
Two years ago, during the Olmert government, a decision was made to redistribute the gas masks, but money for the project was scarce. The Home Front Command estimated it could only provide 60 percent of the population with working gas masks, and a decision was made to provide them to the citizens of the areas most likely to come under attack: the Dan region and northern Israel, among others.
The Israel Postal Company, the national postal service, won a Defense Ministry tender to distribute the kits directly to homes starting in late February.
However, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and MK Matan Vilnai, who is manages the Home Front, argued recently that the planned distribution program - 4.5 million kits in three years - fell short. Legal advisers pointed out that it would be difficult to defend a policy that did not account for the personal safety of all citizens equally.
An additional billion shekels was needed, on top of the two already invested, to produce the necessary gas masks at the two factories. Five hundred million shekels will be provided by the Defense Ministry, by diverting funds from other projects, but it is still unclear who will provide the remainder.
Barak and Vilnai both made decisions based on strategic assessments which say there may be an escalation of tensions in the coming years, including the firing of rockets and missiles against Israel.
Extreme scenarios have Israel also being hit with chemical weapons.
Security sources told Haaretz that under such circumstances the state is obliged to behave thoroughly and address the improvement of security to the citizens seriously. Broadening the distribution network of the gas masks is part of the efforts to seriously improve the preparedness of the Home Front in emergencies.
"Many things have been done since the Second Lebanon War. The cabinet decision last week is another step in this direction," a security source said. "It is not a sign of fear but of greater preparedness. Whoever is planning to fire missiles at Israel should know that we are ready to protect our population."
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A gas mask distribution drive in Ramat Gan in 2002. |
| Photo by: (Nir Kafri) |
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...that they aren't prepared to fight a war until three years from now. Meanwhile, Iran gets stronger every day. Israeli Jews live in La La Land.
Israel is not responsible for the citizens of Gaza. Hamas is. You get what you vote for.
yes, make peace, make peace. we hear it all the time. let understand -- the palestinians see israel as a racist, illegitimate country intent on destroying what is left of the palestinian homeland through settlements. the israelis see palestinians as endlessly dedicated to the destruction of israel, refusing to recognize their right to have their own country, and intent on always denying them the right to live in peace in even the smallest peace of the jewish homeland. until the attitudes change, there will never be peace.
You like facts, Mr. Davison. Fact: there are two groups in the West Bank, one of which can vote in State elections, can drive on certain roads, be protected by an effective army, and can now be protected by an (admittedly probably useless) gas mask, while the other, indigenous, group has none of those privileges. Fact: since the end of brutal colonial rule, this does not happen anywhere else in the world. This distribution of gas masks just shows up the fundamental injustice of this situation. Fact: Under GC IV, the IDF is required to protect civilians in the areas under belligerent occupation, and if the gas masks are effective protection the IDF must supply them.
Murray: I am neither happy nor unhappy with the situation, and disapprove of what "the settlements" have become. That has nothing to do with facts. Fact: the Palestinians are NOT Israeli citizens and have no desire to be so. Fact: The Palestinians declared a perpetural state of war between themselves and Israel. Fact: Apartheid is an INTERNAL oilicy, not one applying to foreign citizens. (If it were otherwise, the US would be "Apartheid" for its treatment of Mexicans. So would many governments re citizens of their neighbors residing illegally in their territory.) The PA is responsible for the needs of the Palestinians, the Israeli government is responsible for the needs of Israelis. How would you like the Italian government to put the needs of, say, the Swiss above the needs of its own taxpayers? Fact: You assume that these gas masks are real lrotections, which they're not. In short, you lack facts but are long on meaningless words. That says a lot about you.
So let's see. We are going to have two groups in the West Bank, one of whom have their lives protected by gas masks supplied by the occupying power, while the others are left to die in the event of an attack. And you are happy with this situation, so long as you can find a hair to split to show that it's not apartheid. I'm afraid that tells us a lot about you.
history repeating itself. who needs gas chambers when you have a whole country to gas. And Israelis sit like lemmings waiting for it to happen, all the while fanning the flames of hate by bombing their neighbours out of house and home. Its not just history repeating itself, it looks like the Israelis are determined to make it happen again.
Since you cannot negate the truth of the statement "Israeli citizens" you attempt to obfuscate by talking about the arabs next door and call it apartheid. Did you sir, ever live in an apartheid state? I doubt it and neither do the next door neighbors! I reiterate what I posted and support #23 's accurate statement. When there is nothing to be said positively, throw in a few good catchphrases - apartheid, racist etc and this will make the point. Sorry sir YOUR prejudices are showing, not my government's actions!
Shouldn't the Palestinian Authority be responsible for the well-being and protection of their citizens? At no time have they shown any willingness to participate in any meaningful way to improve the situation of their own voters. These are the same people who danced in the streets at every SCUD that landed in Israel during Desert Storm, but ran like rabbits when a misaimed one fell in the West Bank. Learn the meaning of "Apartheid" before you use it. Apartheid means that the citizens of a country are discriminated against and kept separate from another ethnic group of citizens by their own government. When have either the Palestinian Authority or the Israeli government ever considered Palestinians citizens of Israel? When have the Palestinians ever considered themselves Israeli citizens. Don't sweat over searching for the right answer: never.
Suggestions that someone in the Israeli government is trying to [CENSORED] the public by raising the specter of attack with WMD must be [CENSORED], Perhaps someone has found Saddam's WMD and are now [CENSORED].
Lots of gas masks available on eBay, Russian, US, Soviet, German, Spanish , Finnish, Hungarian, and Israeli. Reasonable prices. LOL!
"If this doesn`t unite us, what would except for peace? And who wants that?" Now, now sh, let's not be sarcastic! At last! Israel is leaving the past behind and is caught up to 1914! And OHO! Some clever Israeli is making a bundle! The question is, will Israel provide gas masks for all those ghettoed Palestinians and Gazans for whom she is responsible?
Peace is the only reasonable solution.
So every settler will get one, but the Palestinians next door will not. Of course: any gas attack is sure to hit only the settlements; the Palestinians are completely safe. Never let Israel be accused of anything like apartheid.
"US militrary assistance by law must be spent in the US for US products or services." Israel is the ONLY country in the world that is allowed to spend up to 100,000.00 without any type of approval through their credit agreement. They can be buying from some dual citizen of Israel for all we know or some Israeli front company for their intelligence groups. They can also have dual citizens like Dov Zakheim embedded into the Pentagon to sell brand new F16s as surplus accidentally on purpose for pennies on the dollar instead of billions. What does it matter if its spent here or not. Its still free money for a foreign nation the size of a postage stamp that does nothing but bring us problems
Hamas only offers the Hudna for its own purposes not so that it can make a lasting peace with Israel, so stop being so disingenuous! Also note that it decided to not stand by the ceasefire at the end of 2008 and rained down missiles onto Israel with disastrous consequences for the Gaza population. I know you'll argue that Israel broke the ceasefire (which it didnt) but why didn't Hamas hold back in the same way you argued for Israel not to attack Lebanon after 8 soldiers+2 kidnapped by Hezbollah in 2006? Hypocrite
Might as well distribute umbrellas too while they are at it for the black rain to come if Iran gets nuclear weapons. We will wish it was only some horrible gas.
We're ready for Massada. Ever more walls going up, blanketed (or is it stifled?) with gas-masks again, the economy's on the up and up and all our critics are anti-semites. If this doesn't unite us, what would except for peace? And who wants that?
every new and modern apartment/house is built with a safe,strong sealed room. This is for the protection against chemical attacks.
These posts 1-5 and of course "Natalie durson" not only display a clear lack of understanding of the real situation here in Israel, they also display an inherently anti Israel view. It is Israel that is defending itself against the likes of rabid antagonists bent on our country's COMPLETE and UTTER destruction! Sorry, of course tiny Israel 7.5 million people including 20% Arab citizens against 500 million Arabs who bay for our blood whenever they can. You, in the comfort of safe, settled U.S. cities have no idea of the real threat facing us and by extension yourselves. May you wake up and see the light! US aid, BTW, is an employment generator in the US as Israel needs to spend 75% of it in US on American products! You are the sellers of death and destruction - Put that in your pipe and smoke it!
Does anyone really believe that these Masks will work in case of a real chemical attack? Modern chemical weapons are entering the body through the skin. The only thing that helps is full-body-protection. But at least the masks can be used in case of a fire. They should protect against the smoke for a while and by that they may actually really save lifes...
I should take a screenshot of this page...it is my first time to see 6 straight anti-isreal responses to a single article. The world is changing...
Jerks....it is the OTHER side that is manufafturing and threating ISRAEL with destruction, THAT is why we need the masks
US militrary assistance by law must be spent in the US for US products or services.
reveal such astounding ignorance of the realities between Israel and the Palestinians that it's too much trouble to begin to confront them. The bashers take positions based on their emotional predisposition and nothing said in response is considered if it contradicts their bias. As in Israel would rather have war than peace. Think what you like, fools, your opinions don't matter and you have no standing in the conflict.
Hamas has offered Israel a Hudna of up to 10 years on numerous occasions. Each time Israel has refused, in favor of continued desecration of Arab lands. Draw your own conclusions
They have to do with the genocide artist from Tehran, and his sidekick from Damascus. Incidentally, if he has his way, the jolly Persian president would threaten the U.S. mainland as well. There's still time to stop him -- if everyone acts NOW.
This is a big waste of money.
The irony of providing gas masks to Israelis while simultaneously poisoning Palestinians. Who do you think you're fooling? "n Gaza there is now no uncontaminated water; of the 40,000 or so newborn babies, at least half are at immediate risk of nitrate poisoning ? incidence of "blue baby syndrome", methaemoglobinaemia, is exceptionally high; an unprecedented number of people have been exposed to nitrate poisoning over 10 years; in some places the nitrate content in water is 300 times World Health Organisation standards; the agricultural economy is dying from the contamination and salinated water; the underground aquifer is stressed to the point of collapse; and sewage and waste water flows into public spaces and the aquifer." No one believes you anymore.
This is one of the pillars for control of an apathetic population. Sad.
The Israeli government is placing Israeli life on the planet more at risk by its aggressive policies. That's not an improvement in security...Dutch
its such a sad society that would rather steeling more land while and causing themselves more insecurity and buying gas masks for the whole country instead of making peace, and the US funds this insane israeli mindset
No problem for them NYC Guy, it's all American taxpayers money; they can afford to waste it, they get billions every year from us for nothing.
rather than make peace? You people need your heads examined. In the end you will not push the Palestinians out anyway so you are just wasting your time and money. Not to mention all this stress and paranoia you are inducing into Israeli citizenry. Is it a wonder why there is so much PTSD in Israel?