Zionist Union MK Proposes to Equip All Israelis With Protective Vests
Step would help restore Israelis' personal security, which has been undermined by the terror wave, MK Yoel Hasson says, comparing legislation to distribution of gas masks.
An Israeli lawmaker has put forth legislation that would require the state to distribute protective vests to civilians.
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The Ministerial Committee for Legislation is set to deliberate on the bill Sunday. The ministers were expected to reject the proposal.
MK Yoel Hasson (Zionist Union) has said that Israelis' personal safety has been severely undermined in recent months due to the wave of terror. Protective vests, he said, could restore some of that safety.
"So far, dozens of Israelis have been murdered and hundreds others have been wounded as result of the terror wave. More than that, due to the feeling of panic and helplessness, several terrible incidents have occurred in which innocent people were accidentally suspected as terrorists."
Equipping civilians with protective vests "will reduce the risk of fatal harm during terror attacks," Hasson said. "A similar step was taken during the Gulf War and other times of tension when gas masks were distributed among all residents of the state."
Hasson asserted that the considerable expense and complicated logistics that such a step would entail are justified by "the need to provide the residents of the state with personal security."