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Israel to Hold Its Largest-ever War Drill on April 6 |
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Tuesday, 01 April 2008 |
News has been circulating lately in Israel about a massive maneuver that is
going to take place on April 6 to test the performance of the different Israeli
bodies facing any possible war.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak authorized on Sunday evening a 'national
emergency drill', which is scheduled to take place in less than a week's time. All government offices and public bodies will be taking part in it, namely those
which would take action in case of a wide-scale war breaking out or a
confrontation or any disaster causing massive numbers of casualties.
Israeli daily Ma'arif noted that the plans were submitted to Barak three weeks ago by his deputy Matan Vilnai, the head of the emergency crew Za'if Tsock Yem, and
the chief of the internal front Ya'ir Golland as well as other officials.
According to the Israeli media, the exercise, which will be led by Vilnai, was
conceived as part of the lessons learned following the Israeli defeat in the
July 2006 war against Lebanon and will incorporate all government offices and
public bodies. It will also simulate a series of emergency situations and
require those participating – ranging from local municipalities, schools,
firefighter and paramedics, the Israeli Army Home Front Command and even the
cabinet itself – to respond to the developing events.
Meanwhile, Israeli daily Yediot Aharonot noted that Israel's security apparatus
top goals are to block the launching of rockets in the hands of Syria, Hezbollah
and the Palestinians as well as thwarting the Iranian threats. "If Israel was
able to find the ways to restrict those threats, then major Israel enemies will
lose the fierce pressure tools through which they are hoping to wipe Israel out
of existence or defeat it in a war of attrition," the daily noted.
The drill, said to be designed in order to test Israel's preparedness in the face of
an enemy attack, will involve the Israel Police, Israel Defense Force Home Front
Command and other military branches, all of the country's hospitals, the Fire
and Rescue Service, Magen David Adom and other rescue services.
During the mock attack, sirens will blare throughout the country, and mass
evacuations will take place at several "hit zones" throughout the country, with
hospitals and rescue workers testing their abilities to provide large-scale
medical treatment to those wounded in the attacks.
"This is the biggest exercise in Israel's history," said one defense official
involved in the mock attack planning. Political analysts of the Middle East view
the drill as a bad omen for the launch of a new war this Summer.
Comments posted are the sole opinion of the author and may not necessarily reflect the opinions of AIM. |
