Over lunch with a friend here yesterday she casually told me how to make a homemade gas mask - it involves a swimming cap and plastic bottle apparently. The Palestinian Authority only have about 100,000 real masks to distribute amongst a population of over 3 million in the West Bank. Nobody here seems to be panicked although they are well aware of the looming threat as a result of the US' moves to raise another "Coalition of the Willing" and the danger of either getting caught in the cross fire of an exchange between Syria and Israel, or becoming the victim of a strategic and opportunistic strike.
According to the news it is a different story in Israel. TV footage shows Israeli authorities distributing gas masks - close up shots show frantic mothers fitting the masks on their children- driving home the constant threat that we are told Israel lives with. It is hard to square this narrative, one of a beleaguered and vicitimised population with the fact that Israel, the 4th largest exporter of arms in the world, ahead of China, ahead of Italy, is actually pressing for an attack on Syria. This small country researches, develops and tests a wide range of "state of the art" weapons. It also has an advanced nuclear programme, but we are not supposed to know that. War is good for business in Israel it seems, but so too is maintaining the appearance of victimhood.
Part of the advantage of having a burgeoning arms industry is that you can afford early detection systems for missile strikes, an Iron Dome and gas masks for the majority of your population. None of these are available to Palestinians who know a thing or two about chemical weapons strikes - white phosphorous and depleted uranium have been used on Gaza within the last 4 years courtesy of Israel.
Having had a quick look at youtube for the homemade masks, I think I'll pass. I wouldn't be caught dead in one.
Salamtek
According to the news it is a different story in Israel. TV footage shows Israeli authorities distributing gas masks - close up shots show frantic mothers fitting the masks on their children- driving home the constant threat that we are told Israel lives with. It is hard to square this narrative, one of a beleaguered and vicitimised population with the fact that Israel, the 4th largest exporter of arms in the world, ahead of China, ahead of Italy, is actually pressing for an attack on Syria. This small country researches, develops and tests a wide range of "state of the art" weapons. It also has an advanced nuclear programme, but we are not supposed to know that. War is good for business in Israel it seems, but so too is maintaining the appearance of victimhood.
Part of the advantage of having a burgeoning arms industry is that you can afford early detection systems for missile strikes, an Iron Dome and gas masks for the majority of your population. None of these are available to Palestinians who know a thing or two about chemical weapons strikes - white phosphorous and depleted uranium have been used on Gaza within the last 4 years courtesy of Israel.
Having had a quick look at youtube for the homemade masks, I think I'll pass. I wouldn't be caught dead in one.
Salamtek
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