Tel Aviv - Israel began its largest-ever home-front
emergency drill Sunday, meant to simulate responses to war and other
emergency situations, such as a large-scale terrorist attack.
The five-day drill, dubbed 'Turning Point 2,' will inlcude
security cabinet meetings aimed at examining the effectiveness of the
decsion-making process during enemy attacks.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said during Sunday's cabinet meeting
that the exercise was 'routine.'
'I hope the Syrians know this and internalise this,' he said, in a
reference to recent tensions with Damascus.
'We have repeatedly said that we have an interest in conducting
peace negotiations with Syria,' he said. 'They know what our
expectations are, and we are aware of theirs.'
The prime minister said the drill was a continuation of lessons
learned during the July-August 2006 war with Lebanese Hezbollah
guerillas. During that war, Hezbollah fired thousands of Katyusha
missiles at Israeli population centres.
The operative part of the drill begins Monday, and will include,
among other scenarios, simulated missile attacks on towns in
populated areas.
Rescue services will simulate mass evacuation from hit zones -
including those hit with chemical and biological weapons - and
hospitals will practice treating thousands of casualties.
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