למרות הרגולציה: בנקים בארה"ב הגדילו ההשקעות בנגזרים ב-11% ברבעון השני
Sharon: One percent chance that Israel will be hit by Iraq; 12,000 IDF reservists called up
By Gideon Alon, Aluf Benn, and Reli Saar, Haaretz Correspondents, Ha'aretz
The Home Front Command has ordered all Israelis to open and fit their gas mask kits Wednesday night, and have them nearby at all times.
Earlier in the day, the IDF issued a similar order to its soldiers, due to the possibility of a U.S. strike on Iraq in the coming hours.
Military Intelligence chief Major-General Aharon Ze'evi predicted Wednesday that the American-led offensive against Saddam Hussein's Iraq will be launched shortly after President George Bush's ultimatum expires at 8 P.M. Washington time Thursday, or 3 A.M. Israel time.
Ze'evi also said that the chances that Iraq would be able to launch Scud missiles at Israel from west Iraq were very low.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Wednesday that there was a one% risk that the Jewish state would be the target of Iraqi retaliation for a U.S. offensive, but that Israel's preparations for such an attack would "provide the answer to 100% of the dangers."
Sharon spoke at the opening of a special cabinet session convened to discuss Israel's level of preparedness for possible Iraqi retaliatory strikes.
A senior IDF commander, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the United States had completed its preparations for war, and that a U.S. naval radar warship had already anchored in the Mediterranean, its mission to aid Israel's air defenses.
Departing from custom, Sharon began the session with a long address in the presence of reporters. The prime minister repeatedly stressed defense establishment assessments that the risk that Israel would be targeted was very low. "If the chance of us being hit is one%, the preparations that we have made provide the answer to 100% of the dangers," Sharon said.
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told the cabinet Wednesday that Israel has called up some 12,000 IDF reservists in order to prepare for the war.
However, security officials estimated that Saddam Hussein would not attack Israel because he wants to retain international sympathy, mainly among European countries.
As a precautionary measure, the Israel Air Force on Tuesday raised its level of alert in preparation for any attack by Iraq, and its fighter jets will from now on patrol the skies 24 hours a day in order to intercept any hostile Iraqi planes that might be dispatched by Saddam Hussein.
On Wednesday afternoon, Israel police will be on Alert D status, the highest level of alertness, Israel Radio reported. All leaves will be canceled, and all police will be placed on rotating 12 hour shifts.
"Our struggle against terror will continue," Sharon said. "It is very likely that there will be attempts to carry out terrorist operations. The defense establishment, the police, the Security Service [Shin Bet] are all making the greatest of efforts. Even in these days, we have no intention of stopping or halting our struggle against terror."
Sharon wished President George W. Bush well in the war effort, voicing hope that the offensive would be brief, successful and "that American and allied casualties be as small as possible."
Hospitals and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) have begun to prepare sealed rooms in every medical facility, following instructions from the Home Front Command. The order comes the day after Bush gave Saddam Hussein 48 hours to leave Iraq or face war.
The Absorption Ministry opened an information center for immigrants Tuesday. The information center, which has operators speaking Hebrew, English, Russian, Spanish, French and Amharic, can be reached on 1255 081 010.
The Home Front Command began broadcasting information Tuesday afternoon on Channel 33, including instructions on how to prepare sealed rooms and how to use gas mask kits. The broadcasts are presented in a number of languages, including Hebrew, English, Russian, Amharic and Spanish.