Israeli Radio reported this afternoon that Yohanan Danino, the General Inspector of Israeli Police, is asking Israelis to remain calm, saying that Israel is ready to face every possible retaliation scenario in response to an anticipated military strike against Syria. Danino asked the Israelis to keep to their planned celebration schedules of the Jewish New Year and to trust the competent authorities. The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana, takes place early next week.
The radio report said that the chances of Israel becoming a target of any retaliatory attack by Syria are very slim. However, for the second consecutive day, distribution centres of gas masks have witnessed high demands from Israelis. The distribution centres are struggling to cope with the long lines of residents who wish to get the masks.
The radio report described frantic citizens flocking to the mask distribution points in Tel Aviv and the Galilee, causing violent scenes. According to the report, distribution centres were so crowded that the Municipality of Haifa was forced to move the distribution point from the postal centre in the city to the Municipal Stadium.
Israeli reports revealed that some Israelis who are able obtain the masks are then attempting to sell them on the black market at a price of sometimes more than $50 per mask.