On Sunday, an unprecedented nationwide training exercise will get underway in Israel, simulating warfare with Hamas, Hizbullah and Syria in addition to a wave of terror attacks and widespread unrests involving Israeli Arabs.
 
Overseeing the training exercise will be Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai, a retired IDF major-general, who on Monday will present details of the major operation to the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee. The simulated event includes a deterioration of the situation along Israel’s borders culminated by an attack against Israel from all fronts.
 
In the initial stage, IDF troops are drawn into Gaza once again. After 60 days of battle, the northern border flares up, compelling a call up of reservists, during which Israel sustains a missile attack which results in injuries around the country as well as sparking widespread rioting.

The event begins on Sunday, involving the cabinet ministers, followed by the involvement of major agencies on Monday including the IDF, Israel Police, government ministries, and various emergency agencies.
 
On Tuesday, the exercise moves to the homefront, and sirens will sound around the country at 11:00am. At that time, residents are expected to enter safe rooms but Lt.-Colonel Ariela Ben-Avraham; a spokesperson for the Homefront Command explains that if entering safe rooms results in a severe hardship, then one may abstain from doing so. She adds that anyone in a vehicle or on a bus or train should continue. There will however be road closures around the country which will compel motorists to adhere to instructions of emergency personnel. In addition, schools will also be involved, compelling students to become acquainted with emergency regulations.

Wednesday will focus on the Political-Security cabinet and the national emergency broadcasting system followed by additional IDF call-ups on Thursday and other homefront command operations.
 
In the scope of all the nationwide activity other scenarios will be evaluated such as a mega-terror attack, natural disaster, a disaster in a hazardous material facility and the spread of a major illness.
 
The unprecedented event is geared to evaluate all major emergency agencies, their ability to operate in tandem with other agencies, the preparedness of the homefront, the ability of citizens to adhere to instructions, and the overall performance of government on the national and local levels.

IDF officials urge anyone who does not hear a siren on Tuesday at 11:00am to telephone the Homefront Command number, 1207, to inform them of the malfunction in their area.
 
In an effort to avoid panic, the Prime Minister’s Office on Sunday released a message stating this training event was planned a long time ago and it in no way reflects current realities, calling on residents to avoid drawing any undesirable conclusions.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)