Not having much success in obtaining national government allocations for the preparation and distribution of gas mask personal protection kits, the army is leaning towards passing the cost onto taxpayers, looking for NIS 10 a year for 20 yeas, seeking to request NIS 200 from each Israeli receiving a personal protection kit.

The army handed the task of collecting the old protection kits from citizens about two years ago. Today, 77% of the old kits were collected. The refreshing process, bringing the masks and kits up to standard should be complete in January 2009 and the kits are then supposed to be distributed once again.

While the army has received NIS 150 million annually to cover the costs, the three-year program demands NIS 220 million annually. The military is looking for a source for the missing NIS 70 million. Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai is still negotiating with the treasury for the funding. It appears, at best, the redistribution of the kits will not begin until the second half of 2009 at the earliest since the project has been halted due to a lack of funding.

The IDF’s Homefront Command feels the project must continue, pointing out the need for the kits to remain up-to-date an in the homes of citizens due to current threats, prompting the idea of passing the cost to citizens.

Officials explain that the kits must be updates every 20 years, leading to the cost suggested [as explained earlier in the report]. Military officials explain passing the costs to taxpayers is not an ideal situation, but even if the decision is made, it is unknown and perhaps unlikely that politicians will approve it.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)