Government Compels Israelis To Return Gas Masks, Now Won't Replace Them

The IDF lacks more than NIS 1 billion ($250 million) to buy new gas masks and refurbish the millions of civil defense kits that have been recently collected from the public, the Jerusalem Post reported Wednesday, quoting defense officials. They said if the missing money was not appropriated in the coming months, the whole refurbishing project would be postponed and redistribution of masks to the public -- including those who voluntarily returned their masks -- would be postponed for years. The net effect is that virtually all of the Israeli population -- except those who have privately purchased civil defense equipment and several thousand elites eligible for shelter in government bunkers, will be unprotected in the event of a chemical attack.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak recently ordered that gas masks -- which were distributed to the public ahead of the American-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 -- would be collected from the public, supposedly so that they could be repaired, checked, and made suitable for current use. In October a massive campaign collected millions of civil defense kits. Barak's decision was made following a recommendation of the IDF Home Front Command.

But last Wednesday, according to the Post, high-ranking IDF officers said the Defense Ministry had yet to secure the necessary funding and lacked hundreds of millions of dollars. "Without the money, there is no way we will be able to stay on schedule," a top officer said. "If we don't get the money, then we will end up with a situation in which only half of the country has masks and the other half doesn't." And that's the optimistic scenario.

Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilna'i is reportedly holding talks with the Prime Minister's Office and the Finance Ministry to secure the funding, but the sources are doubtful that the funds will be found in time. According to the defense sources, if war were to break out with Syria or Iran in the coming months, the Home Front Command would only have enough gas masks for 1.5 million adults and half a million children. That's less than a third of the Israeli population of more than seven million. The Defense Ministry has also solicited and received several proposals to make emergency purchases of gas masks from Israeli and American companies, "if the need arises." And the budget allows.

---EOE---

http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Security/12310.htm