Postal Company: Demand for ABC kits rises
Concerned citizens monitoring events in Syria arrive at post offices to pick up ABC kits for selves, families; Netanyahu says Syrian situation must end, weapons of mass destruction must not fall into wrong hands; says Israel will protect its citizens, State, against those who would harm them
The number of seeking ABC kits has risen Sunday, exceeding the average number by four, the Israel Postal Service reported.
Concerned citizens arrived at a Tel Aviv post office to claim their kits, having monitored events in Syria. Tania, living in Hatikva neighborhood, said she had come to pick up the gas masks so she would feel calmer in the face of the threat.
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"I know nothing will happen, but I want to know that my children are safe," she said.
"We keep postponing the issue of the masks," said David Vaknin, who came to pick up masks for his family members. "Today I decided I have to get here and I'm glad that I've met the commitment I made to myself."
Laurie arrived to take a mask for her son who was scheduled to return to Israel in a few days. "What's happening in Syria is very disconcerting," she said. "I think the United States should have made a move a long time ago. Now I understand that if there's a war we'll be attacked, so my family and I are preparing ourselves.
Addressing events in Syria, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday: "What is happening in Syria is a terrible tragedy and an obscene crime. Our hearts go out to the women, children, babies and civilians who were so brutally hurt by the use of weapons of mass destruction."
The prime minister added that Israel has drawn three conclusions from the chemical weapons assault near Damascus. "First is that this situation cannot go on. Second, that the world's most dangerous regimes must not posses the most dangerous weapons in the world.
"Third, we of course expect this to stop, but we always bear in mind the ancient principle of our sages who said, 'If we are not for ourselves, who will be for us?' That is, we always have our ear to the ground. Our finger is a responsible one and if it is required it can be on the trigger. We will always make sure to protect our citizens and the State against those who attempt to harm us or have harmed us – that is our guiding principle."
Syrian opposition accounts claim that between 500 to well over 1,000 civilians were killed last week by gas in munitions fired by pro-government forces, and video footage of victims' bodies, have stoked demands abroad for a robust, US-led response after 2.5 years of international inaction on Syria's conflict.
Reuters contributed to this report
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