Joel Leyden : Israel Defense Forces IDF Home Front Command Exercise Turning Point 4

Israel Defense Forces IDF Home Front Command Exercise Turning Point 4

By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency

Jerusalem ---- May 24, 2010 …. Part of the following briefing on the Israel Defense Forces IDF Home Front Command Training Exercise Turning Point 4 was provided to the Israel News Agency by the Israel Defense Forces.

IDF Col. Dr. Yechiel Soffer, Head of Population Control IDF Home Front Command speaks about the present national civil defense drill entitled: Turning Point 4.

IDF Col. Dr. Soffer said that Israel was now starting a national civil defense drill.

"We call it Turning Point 4. One of the conclusions reached after the 2nd Lebanon War was to better prepare the population for missile attacks and other emergent situations. This is the 4th year we are conducting this national drill. We exercise the population on Wednesday at 11 o'clock. Sirens will be heard all over Israel and we have told the civilian population to go to their shelters - public and private - just to practice the different times required to reach the shelter. For example, In Haifa we have one minute to go to the shelter. In Tel Aviv there are two minutes. In Jerusalem there are three minutes. We also practice the municipalities in Israel, all 225 of the. On Monday and Tuesday we practice the ministries such as Interior and Defense. Communications- all the ministries with the local municipalities. About 35 local municipalities' altogether, in many different scenarios, for example: a missile attack, a plane crash, man casualties, etc. As I said, on Wednesday we drill the civilian population and on Thursday we continue the exercise with all the emergency organizations such as EMS, Home Front Command troops, the fire brigade, the Israel police."

Col. Soffer was asked if he was just referring to acts of terrorism and or acts of war taking place in northern Israel, or also about the south of Israel.

"I'm talking about all kinds of attacks on Israel civilians. It doesn't matter what the source of the missile is, every civilian has a predefined time to go into the shelter. If they hear an air raid siren, they must go inside the shelter. We don't have peace with terror organizations in the Gaza Strip, so we must be prepared for a missile attack from the south, just as from the north.

Col. Dr. Soffer was asked how does one find out where their bomb shelter is?

"For everyone in Israel, since 1992, it is a mandatory regulation that when you build a house you have to build it with a private shelter- a protective room inside a room. It is one of the conclusions reached after the Gulf War in 1991. Approximately 30-35% of buildings in Israel have a Mamad- a protective room. Another 30% or so have either a public shelter or a private shelter in the bottom of the building. The rest, 20-25%, don't have a regular protective shelter. We teach the public to choose the best solution they have in their building. For example, if they live on the top floor of their building, they have to go into the stairway one floor down and that is their protective area. If they are outside the building and don’t have enough time to go inside a shelter or building they have to lay down on the ground and that is the best solution that we can provide for them.

Col. Dr. Soffer was asked if one lived in Nachlaot and I didn't have a shelter. What should they do?

"If you're in a building you have to choose the interior room and will protect you. Not the best protection, but good protection.

Col. Dr. Soffer was asked why do you think Lebanon, Syria and Hezbollah are so afraid of this Israel nationwide drill that we're going to have?

"I really can't answer your question. It's an Israel civil defense drill, not an offensive drill. I only heard from the media that Lebanon and Syria are afraid of this exercise. You can understand that it's a civil defense drill, just to protect and prepare our population in Israel. I would like to add something- most countries prepare their population for all the disasters. In America and many other countries in Europe they prepare the public for earthquakes and other natural disasters because they're afraid of those threats. But I'm afraid that other than natural disasters, we have threats from Lebanon and the Gaza Strip."

Col. Dr. Soffer was asked if the 2nd Israel Lebanon War had an effect on civilians that caused them to fear entering their safe rooms?

"Most of those killed during the 2nd Israel Lebanon War were killed in open spaces. Ninety percent were killed in open areas, ten percent were killed inside, but none were killed in their protection spaces."

As part of the IDF exercise, IDF OC Home Front Command Maj.-Gen. Yair Golan informed Vilna’i of his decision to complete the draft of all IDF Home Front Command reservists after close to 200 rockets and missiles, included ones with chemical warheads launched from Syria, landed in the center of the country.

Under the IDF exercise, most of the missiles from Iran and Syria were landing in the Gush Dan region in the center of the country.

Israel Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu used the opening of the cabinet meeting Sunday to send a public message to Syria that the IDF Home Front exercise was a routine security event, and that Syria did not need to feel threatened by it.

“This is the fourth year in which we are holding this IDF homefront exercise,” said Netanyahu.

“I would like to make it clear that it is not the result of any exceptional security development. On the contrary, Israel wants calm, stability and peace.”

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