Preparing For The Unthinkable

Photo By Getty Images

by Steve Lipman

In Israel, the annual civilian exercises in preparing for a chemical warfare attack are an exercise in political reality.

Israelis who lived through the first Gulf War in early 1991, when 39 Scud missiles were fired from Iraq, remember days of sirens and radio bulletins, of sealed rooms and gas masks, of fear and uncertainty. When will the next barrage come? Where will they hit? Will they contain chemical agents or be “only” conventional weapons?

Occasionally, Israelis hear reminders — reports on the development of weapons and defenses; suggestions to keep potential sealed rooms stocked and gas masks at hand, just in case; and, most ominously, stories about the military capabilities of a hostile Iran, about the growing missile range of Hezbollah in

the North and Hamas in the South.
So Israel prepares.

The latest chemical warfare drill was held recently in Israel, simulating mass casualties. Haredi Jews, lying in the food court of a Jerusalem shopping mall, played the roles of fatalities. An Israeli rescue worker, above, wears a protective suit as she deploys outside the mall.

This summer, more than seven million people in Israel participated in a security drill, taking refuge in shelters.

Last month, soldiers in the Israeli and U.S. armies took part in a joint drill that simulated unconventional attacks.

“Israelis and U.S. soldiers need to train to prepare for the defense of their countries, whether the training involves firing a weapon or preparing for any scenario,” U.S. Army spokesman Maj. Daniel Meyers said.
In Israel, everyone is prepared.

In Israel, they hope they won’t need to be prepared.

Signup for our weekly email newsletter here.

Check out the Jewish Week's Facebook page and become a fan! And follow the Jewish Week on Twitter: start here.