MK Eli Yishai, who chairs the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Subcommittee on Homefront Preparedness, will be convening the committee during the summer recess. Due to the increasing likelihood of a military strike against Syria Yishai wants to evaluate the level of homefront preparedness, stating the nation must be ready for worst case scenario. Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad continues to insist that he did not use chemical weapons, but announced should America or others attack him, missiles would be launched against Israel.

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon in a meeting with visiting French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius on Sunday, 19 Elul confirmed Syria’s use of chemical weapons. Over 1,000 people were killed as a result.

Yishai stressed the need of being ready for any and every eventuality, and his committee will be meeting in urgent session on Wednesday, 22 Elul.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy visited Ramallah on Monday, 20 Elul 5773, where he met with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen). He called for US restraint amid a possible American-led military offensive against the Assad regime. As Western nations are considering and preparing for an attack, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for “caution”, citing only a political solution will solve the issues. German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the other hand announced if it is established that Assad used chemical weapons, her country would support a Western nation offensive. British Prime Minister David Cameron announced he is curtailing his vacation to head a meeting of Britain’s National Security Council to discuss how to respond to the chemical weapons attack in Syria.

Israel Postal Authority, responsible for the distribution of gas mask personal protection kits, reports a sharp increase in the demand for the kits in light of the deteriorating situation regarding Syria.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)