Civil defense in Israel
Institutions and legal frameworks
1951 civil defense law
The 1951 civil defense law, revised several times since then, legislates matters pertaining to civil defense. The law requires shelters to be built in all homes, residential and industrial buildings. The law also establishes the civil defense service, mandates the construction and upkeep of shelters in homes, residential buildings and factories, allows the state to make use of private equipment and humanpower for emergency situations, defines a civil state of alert and lays down rules regarding the use of hazardous materials.[4]
Home Front Command
The Israeli Home Front Command was created in February 1992 following the Gulf War. Until the establishment of the Command, responsibility for the home front fell under the Civilian Defense’s Chief Officer Corps Command and under Regional Defense. During that time, the three regional commands had their own home front commands. After the first Persian Gulf War, these organizations were unified and the Home Front Command was created. Ever since its creation, there have been great efforts undertaken to turn the Home Front Command into a civilian body, but thus far, all of these have failed. It is currently headed by Aluf Yair Golan.
National Emergency Authority
The National Emergency Authority (Reshut Heyrum Le'umit or "Rachel" for short) was created in September 2007 and charged with coordinating military and civilian action during a state of emergency, war or natural disaster.[5]
Between 6–10 April 2008, the National Emergency Authority conducted the largest emergency exercise in the country's history.[3]
Emergency Economy
The Emergency Economy (meshek l'sheat heyrum or "Melah" for short) is a body whose function is to assure continued activity of vital enterprises during an emergency.[2][6] An Emergency Economy order allows the recruitment of workers for essential private and public services, such as emergency services, medicine, local authorities, food and equipment supply, communications, etc.
On 27 December 2008, at the start of the
Special situation on the home front
The special situation on the home front (SSHF) is a legal mechanism allowing the Defense Ministry, through the Home Front Command, to issue binding regulations for the civilian population in the specified area. The decision is valid for 48 hours, and must then be ratified by the government. On 20 May 2007 Defense Minister Amir Peretz declared an SSHF in areas of southern Israel struck by rocket attacks from Gaza.[8] The situation was lifted in August, but shortly afterward, On 4 September, Defense minister Ehud Barak declared an SSHF in Gaza vicinity communities for 48 hours following the resurgence of heavy rocket fire from Gaza.[9]
ZAKA body recovery teams
ZAKA (Hebrew: זק"א, an acronym for Zihuy Korbanot Ason, literally: "Disaster Victim Identification"), is a series of voluntary community emergency response teams in Israel, each operating in a police district (two in the Central District due to geographic considerations). These organizations are officially recognized by the government. The full name is ZAKA - Identification and Rescue - True Kindness (Hebrew: זק"א - איתור חילוץ והצלה - חסד של אמת).
ZAKA activity expanded rapidly during the al-Aqsa Intifada (from September 2000), when frequent terrorist suicide bombings created many scenes of disaster, with the remains and body parts of many victims strewn around bombing sites.
Shelters
Bomb shelters
According to the 1951 civil defense law, all homes, residential buildings and industrial buildings in Israel are required to have bomb shelters. However, several homes or residential buildings may make use of a single shelter jointly.
Prior to the
In October 2010, the Home Front Command initiated a publicity campaign to explain to the public what the specified time people have to enter public bomb shelters after hearing the warning siren.[11]
Protected spaces
The "protected space" is a similar concept to the shelter but serves individual apartment units, building floors, or other public areas. It consists of a reinforced concrete room with access from the building's individual apartment. The idea of the protected space followed the First Gulf War, when the warning time for incoming missiles was shortened and there was a need for fast access to shelter.[12] The move from subterranean bomb shelters to more elevated protected spaces was motivated by the possibility of the use of chemical weapons by neighbouring countries. In Hebrew, merhav mugan dirati is shortened to the most widely used term "mamad", though protected spaces which are shared by an entire residential or office floor are called a "mamak", short for merhav mugan komati.
Fortifications
Communities near the Gaza Strip, which have been targeted by constant rocket attacks since 2001, have additional fortifications. In March 2008 the government placed 120 fortified bus stops in Sderot, following a Defense Ministry assessment that most rocket-related injuries and fatalities were caused by shrapnel wounds in victims on the street.[13] As of January 2009, all schools in Sderot have been fortified against rockets;[14] fortifications consist of arched canopies over roofs.[15] However, on 3 January 2009 a Grad rocket penetrated the fortification of a school in Ashkelon.[citation needed]
In March 2009, Sderot inaugurated a reinforced children's recreation center built by the Jewish National Fund. The purpose of the center, which has "$1.5 million worth of reinforced steel", is to provide a rocket-proof place for children to play.[16][17] Sderot also has a "missile-protected playground," with concrete tunnels painted to look like caterpillars.[18]
Non-permanent fortification facilities
Bell-shaped migunit
A concrete facility with a bell-like form, with space for a small number of people, that can be placed in open fields or near roads.[19]
Box-shaped migunit
A concrete facility with a box-like shape, set up using a crane, which can contain 10+ people.[20]
Sewer pipes
Several meter sewer pipes are put near houses.[21]
Warning systems
Warning sirens
Air raid sirens used are typically sounded to warn of air raids or missile attacks on civilian population. Most of the sirens in urban areas are German-made HLS (supercharged) sirens, model F71. The Air Raid Sirens are called אזעקה ("Az'aka", literally "alarm"), and consist of a continuous, ascending and descending tone. The "all-clear" signal (called צפירת הרגעה, "Tzfirat Harga'ah") is a continuous single-pitch sound. However, in recent conflicts use of the "all-clear" signal has been discontinued, as it was seen as causing needless confusion and alarm.
Ceremonial use of sirens
Sirens also double for ceremonial use. The "all-clear" signal is used three times yearly to denote a minute's silence, once on Israel's
Red Color
The Red Color (Hebrew: צבע אדום, transl.: Tzeva Adom) is an early warning radar system installed by the Israel Defense Forces in several towns surrounding the Gaza Strip to warn civilians of imminent attack by rockets (usually Qassam rockets). The system was installed in Ashkelon between July 2005 and April 2006.
Guards
Civil aircraft
Israel's national air carrier,
Public transportation
The
Public and communal buildings
The entrances of most shopping malls, stores, restaurants and other public buildings in Israel have guards, and often metal detectors. While such security keeps bombers out, it also creates lines of people who sometimes become targets.[25]
Chemical warfare defenses
During the 1991 Gulf War, Israel feared that
In early 1998, during an escalation in the Iraq disarmament crisis, a media-stirred panic of Iraqi chemical attack ensued in Israel, with thousands lining up at gas mask distribution centers. Officials downplayed the dangers but began preparations nonetheless.[28]
Prior to the 2003
Missile interception systems
The increasing danger of rocket and missile fire against the State of Israel (namely, Qassam rocket fire from Gaza, Katyusha rocket fire from South Lebanon, and Iran's ballistic missile arsenal) has led to the development of defense systems to counter this threat. In addition to the Iron Dome system, which is designed to intercept short range rockets, the David's Sling system has also been developed in order to intercept medium and long range rockets, while the Arrow missile, designed to intercept ballistic missiles, is already in use.
Arrow missile
The Arrow "Interceptor" (Hebrew: טיל חץ [ˈtil ˈxɛts]) ABM is a theater missile defense (TMD) system; it is the first missile developed by Israel and United States that was specifically designed and built to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles on a national level.
On July 29, 2004, Israel and the United States carried out a joint test flight in the USA in which the Arrow was launched against a real
David's Sling
David's Sling (Hebrew: קלע דוד), also sometimes called Magic Wand (Hebrew: שרביט קסמים), is an Israel Defense Forces military system being jointly developed by the Israeli defense contractor Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. and the American defense contractor Raytheon, designed to intercept medium- to long-range rockets.
Iron Dome
Iron Dome (Hebrew: כיפת ברזל) is a mobile system developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. designed to intercept short-range rockets with a range less than 70 km.
Rafael states that the system is an effective solution to short range rockets (such as Qassam rockets) and
See also
- Civil defense by nation
- United States civil defense
- Civil Guard (Israel)
- Lebanese rocket attacks on Israel
- Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel
References
- ^ "Kenyan police find Mombasa missiles". BBC News. 2002-12-06.
- ^ ISBN 9781412837439.
- ^ a b Katz, Yaakov (March 17, 2008). "Israel to hold massive emergency drill". The Jerusalem Post.
- ^ "1951 civil defense law" (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 2012-07-23. Retrieved 2009-04-04. English translation, Israel Home Front Command
- ^ Azoulay, Yuval (September 16, 2007). "Cabinet okays establishment of authority to handle state emergencies". Haaretz.
- ISBN 9780275968120.
- ^ Goldstein, Tani (December 28, 2008). "Industry minister signs Emergency Economy order". Ynet.
- ^ Greenberg, Hanan (May 20, 2007). "Peretz declares special Home Front situation". Ynet.
- ^ Greenberg, Hanan (September 4, 2007). "Defense minister puts Sderot under emergency status". Ynet.
- ISBN 9780028643663.
- ^ "Home Front Command launches bomb shelter awareness campaign". The Jerusalem Post. October 3, 2010.
- ^ Lichtman, Gail (November 27, 2008). "Shelter, 'mamad' or sealed room?".
- ^ Yuval Azoulay, "Gov't places 120 fortified bus stops in rocket-plagued Sderot". themarker.captain.co.il. March 5, 2008.
- ^ School resumes in Israel despite rocket threat: Some students continue to stay home to avoid Hamas rocket attacks, Associated Press (retrieved from NBC News) 11-01-2009
- ^ Heather Sharp, Sderot children feel truce relief, BBC News 01-09-2008
- ^ Ethan Bronner, For Israeli children, a playground shielded from rockets, New York Times 11-03-2009 (retrieved from the International Herald Tribune)
- ^ Aron Heller, Israeli kids get rocket-proofed indoor playground, Associated Press (retrieved 11-03-2009)
- ^ Susan Taylor Martin, On Israel-Gaza border, teens learn legacy of hate Archived 2009-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, St. Petersburg Times 08-02-2-2009
- ^ "Wealthy citizens of Be'er Sheva buy personal mig units". nrg.co.il. 7 April 2011.
- ^ Ashkelon put Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "הבדיחה על חשבוננו? - וואלה! חדשות".
- ^ Jeff Jacoby, What Israeli security could teach us, Boston Globe 23-08-2006
- ^ Barbara Plett, Israeli airline's maximum security, BBC News 05-10-2001
- ^ Rebecca Anna Stoil, Sign of the times: No more bus security, Jerusalem Post 01-01-2008
- ^ Greg Myre, Palestinian Bomber Kills Himself and 5 Others Near Israel Mall, New York Times 06-12-2005
- ^ a b Joel Brinkley, WAR IN THE GULF: Israel; ISRAELIS REPORT LIMITED DAMAGE, 18-01-1991
- ^ Mark A. Tessler, A History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, p. 741, Indiana University Press
- ^ Israel tries to calm nervous public over attack threat, CNN 03-02-1998
- ^ Laura King, Israel Tells Its Citizens to Ready Their 'Sealed Rooms', 19-03-2003
- ^ Justin Huggler, Israel prepares with gas masks and air patrols[dead link], The Independent 20-03-2009
- ^ BBC News Online, Israeli missile test 'successful', 11 February 2007
External links
Media related to Civil defense of Israel at Wikimedia Commons
- Israel Home Front Command (English homepage)