The Israeli cabinet has decided to hasten the production of gas masks so that in three years the entire population will be equipped with them.
The previous policy, to equip less than two-thirds of the population, was changed due to predictions that in a future conflict, Israel’s enemies would almost certainly bombard cities with medium-range missiles which are capable of carrying chemical warheads.
Although defence experts say that Hamas and Hizbollah’s missiles will probably still only carry conventional warheads, the cabinet decided that it could not take the risk.
Israel distributed gas masks to all citizens in 1990 before the first Iraq War. Five years ago, after reports that many of the masks were faulty and following the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime, the masks were collected.
