Israeli authorities have decided to distribute gas masks to civilians, starting next year, to prepare for a possible non-conventional weapons' attack, public radio reported. It said Deputy Defence Minister Matan Vilnai announced the decision during a closed-door meeting between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and members of his security cabinet.
General Zeev Zuckran of Israel's emergency services told public radio there was no cause for alarm over the decision, which he stressed did not signal a deterioration of the security situation. Israeli authorities regularly warn of the risks of a non-conventional attack from Iran or Syria.
Authorities have already in the past distributed gas masks, notably during the 1991 Gulf War over Kuwait when Iraq fired Scud missiles at Israel. Those masks were collected from the end of 2006 for checks and to change the filters. The authorities are planning a large-scale civil defence exercise next week, according to Israeli media.