Israel Begins Distributing Gas Masks To Citizens

[Purveyor]

Israel has begun distributing new gas masks to its 7 million citizens to offer protection against a possible chemical attack.

Israel's postal service is handing out the equipment in a process, it says, that will take about three years.

Avi Hochman, CEO & President of the Israel Postal Company stated that they have made the necessary preparations for the task, including a state-of-the art technological and logistical infrastructure.

Distribution began Sunday in the city of Or Yehuda. The distribution will continue over a period of 6 days and will then be extended to Kiryat Ono, in central Israel, and the surrounding areas.

The Israeli military says it is routine and not in response to a specific threat. Israel believes a chemical attack could potentially come from Syria or Iran.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1152859.html

[shergald]

1. Is the Israel government practicing psychological warfare on its own people?

Why would anyone want to attack a peaceful nation like Israel with chemical weapons? No one.

I can only guess that it is prolog to an Israel attack against Iran, because only Israel should be permitted to have nuclear weapons in the Middle East. How else would it be able to threaten its neighbors?

The solution is easy: give back East Jerusalem and the West Bank, the Golan Heights, and those bits of Lebanon that really have no value, and let everyone live happily ever after.

[sabbat hunter]

When you say "give back east Jerusalem"

Do you include the old city in that statement?

[Douglas Carpenter]

4. the Geneva Initiative lays out a reasonably scenario about how the Old City can be handled

including al-Haram al-Sharif/ Temple Mount and other parts of Jerusalem. It is not an insolvable issue:

Article 6 – Jerusalem

1.Religious and Cultural Significance:

i.The Parties recognize the universal historic, religious, spiritual, and cultural significance of Jerusalem and its holiness enshrined in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In recognition of this status, the Parties reaffirm their commitment to safeguard the character, holiness, and freedom of worship in the city and to respect the existing division of administrative functions and traditional practices between different denominations.

ii.The Parties shall establish an inter-faith body consisting of representatives of the three monotheistic faiths, to act as a consultative body to the Parties on matters related to the city’s religious significance and to promote inter-religious understanding and dialogue. The composition, procedures, and modalities for this body are set forth in Annex X.

2.Capital of Two States

The Parties shall have their mutually recognized capitals in the areas of Jerusalem under their respective sovereignty.

3.Sovereignty

Sovereignty in Jerusalem shall be in accordance with attached Map 2. This shall not prejudice nor be prejudiced by the arrangements set forth below:

.......

5.al-Haram al-Sharif/ Temple Mount (Compound)

i.International Group

1.An International Group, composed of the IVG and other parties to be agreed upon by the Parties, including members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), shall hereby be established to monitor, verify, and assist in the implementation of this clause.

2.For this purpose, the International Group shall establish a Multinational Presence on the Compound, the composition, structure, mandate and functions of which are set forth in Annex X.

3.The Multinational Presence shall have specialized detachments dealing with security and conservation. The Multinational Presence shall make periodic conservation and security reports to the International Group. These reports shall be made public.

4.The Multinational Presence shall strive to immediately resolve any problems arising and may refer any unresolved disputes to the International Group that will function in accordance with Article 16.

5.The Parties may at any time request clarifications or submit complaints to the International Group which shall be promptly investigated and acted upon.

6.The International Group shall draw up rules and regulations to maintain security on and conservation of the Compound. These shall include lists of the weapons and equipment permitted on the site.

ii.Regulations Regarding the Compound

1.In view of the sanctity of the Compound, and in light of the unique religious and cultural significance of the site to the Jewish people, there shall be no digging, excavation, or construction on the Compound, unless approved by the two Parties. Procedures for regular maintenance and emergency repairs on the Compound shall be established by the IG after consultation with the Parties.

2.The state of Palestine shall be responsible for maintaining the security of the Compound and for ensuring that it will not be used for any hostile acts against Israelis or Israeli areas. The only arms permitted on the Compound shall be those carried by the Palestinian security personnel and the security detachment of the Multinational Presence.

3.In light of the universal significance of the Compound, and subject to security considerations and to the need not to disrupt religious worship or decorum on the site as determined by the Waqf, visitors shall be allowed access to the site. This shall be without any discrimination and generally be in accordance with past practice.

iii.Transfer of Authority

1.At the end of the withdrawal period stipulated in Article 5/7, the state of Palestine shall assert sovereignty over the Compound.

2.The International Group and its subsidiary organs shall continue to exist and fulfill all the functions stipulated in this Article unless otherwise agreed by the two Parties.

6.The Wailing Wall

The Wailing Wall shall be under Israeli sovereignty.

7.The Old City:

i.Significance of the Old City

1.The Parties view the Old City as one whole enjoying a unique character. The Parties agree that the preservation of this unique character together with safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the inhabitants should guide the administration of the Old City.

2.The Parties shall act in accordance with the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List regulations, in which the Old City is a registered site.

ii.IVG Role in the Old City

1.Cultural Heritage

1.The IVG shall monitor and verify the preservation of cultural heritage in the Old City in accordance with the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List rules. For this purpose, the IVG shall have free and unimpeded access to sites, documents, and information related to the performance of this function.

2.The IVG shall work in close coordination with the Old City Committee of the Jerusalem Coordination and Development Committee (JCDC), including in devising a restoration and preservation plan for the Old City.

2.Policing

1.The IVG shall establish an Old City Policing Unit (PU) to liaise with, coordinate between, and assist the Palestinian and Israeli police forces in the Old City, to defuse localized tensions and help resolve disputes, and to perform policing duties in locations specified in and according to operational procedures detailed in Annex X.

2.The PU shall periodically report to the IVG.

3.Either Party may submit complaints in relation to this clause to the IVG, which shall promptly act upon them in accordance with Article 16.


iii.Free Movement within the Old City

Movement within the Old City shall be free and unimpeded subject to the provisions of this article and rules and regulations pertaining to the various holy sites.

iv.Entry into and Exit from the Old City

1.Entry and exit points into and from the Old City will be staffed by the authorities of the state under whose sovereignty the point falls, with the presence of PU members, unless otherwise specified.

2.With a view to facilitating movement into the Old City, each Party shall take such measures at the entry points in its territory as to ensure the preservation of security in the Old City. The PU shall monitor the operation of the entry points.

3.Citizens of either Party may not exit the Old City into the territory of the other Party unless they are in possession of the relevant documentation that entitles them to. Tourists may only exit the Old City into the territory of the Party which they posses valid authorization to enter.


link to full text - scroll down to Article 6 – Jerusalem:

http://www.geneva-accord.org/mainmenu/english

[sabbat hunter]

6. that is pretty much the way it is now

other than Palestine having a political capital in Jerusalem..

I would go one step further and say that neither Israel nor Palestine can have their political offices in the old city. That both must keep them to the new sections (outside the old city walls).

[PDJane]

3. I do. Yes.

[sabbat hunter]

5. Why does a Palestine have any more rights to the old city

than does Israel?

under the partition plans the old city was supposed to be internationalized. The UN abrogatted their duty to that when Jordan conqured it in 1949. Israel took control in 1967. It was never under Palestinian control, nor was it supposed to be. (ideally it would be under UN control, but we have all seen that they fail to do what they are supposed to when it comes to that)

So please explain to me why a Palestine has more rights to control the old city than does Israel.

[madrchsod]

2. neither country would launch a chemical attack.....

they both know israel would turn them to glass...