It may be that Israel's current gas mask era is nearly over. A story today in Ha'aretz provides considerably more detail on gas mask distribution and production than I was able to obtain in August. It seems, if the Ha'aretz story is reliable, that only about 60% of Israelis have received gas masks since the state started a redistribution of them about 5 years ago. Masks already budgeted for and in production will be distributed up until March 2014. After that, it looks like gas mask distribution will stop: no funds in the 2014 national budget have been allocated to producing more masks.
Why?
Firstly, cost. Ha'aretz says it would cost NIS 1.3 billion (CAD 365 million) to outfit the remaining population (something less than 40% of the country) and an additional NIS 300 million (CAD 81 million) annually to maintain the population in masks (replacement of parts; refitting - kids grow out of theirs). I have no idea if maintenance (of the 'fleet' of gas masks) continues; if it continues while the masks are distributed and production is halted so that nearly 2 in 5 people don't have a mask; or if the state will begin to collect the masks for central maintenance.
Secondly, threat reduction. Observers report that Syria's chemical weapons store is being dismantled according to plan.
I'm inclined to think the budget is driving this decision...
Why?
Firstly, cost. Ha'aretz says it would cost NIS 1.3 billion (CAD 365 million) to outfit the remaining population (something less than 40% of the country) and an additional NIS 300 million (CAD 81 million) annually to maintain the population in masks (replacement of parts; refitting - kids grow out of theirs). I have no idea if maintenance (of the 'fleet' of gas masks) continues; if it continues while the masks are distributed and production is halted so that nearly 2 in 5 people don't have a mask; or if the state will begin to collect the masks for central maintenance.
Secondly, threat reduction. Observers report that Syria's chemical weapons store is being dismantled according to plan.
I'm inclined to think the budget is driving this decision...
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