Israeli Civilians Advised to Prepare Gas Masks - 2003-03-20

The Israeli army has instructed the civilian population to keep gas masks readily available at all times. Israeli officials stated last night that they believe a war against Iraq will begin shortly after the deadline for Saddam Hussein's withdrawal from the country, and while the likelihood of Iraq launching a chemical attack on Israel is low, it is still advisable for the Israeli people to remain prepared and vigilant. Meanwhile, Mahmoud Abbas, a moderate Palestinian politician and longtime aide to Yasser Arafat, accepted the position of Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority. Arafat, who was reluctant to share power, succumbed to intense international pressure to appoint a Prime Minister in his government. In Washington, a White House spokesperson said that President Bush is pleased with the internal progress towards reforming the Palestinian Authority. However, he did not clarify whether the creation of the new Prime Minister position meets all the standards and criteria set by the U.S. for implementing reforms in Palestinian society. In the meantime, during recent violence near the city of Jenin in the West Bank, a resident of a Jewish settlement was shot and killed by Palestinian assailants who ambushed him in his car.