As U.S., allies weigh strike on Syria, nervous Israelis rush for gas masks
By William Booth and Ruth Eglash, WashPost, Wednesday, August 28, 9:47 AM
JERUSALEM — A shortage of gas masks caused a mini-melee among panicky moms pushing strollers here Wednesday, as Israelis prepared for possible U.S. airstrikes against Syria that could trigger retaliatory attacks inside Israel.
At a post office distribution center in the Hadar Mall in West Jerusalem, Israelis pushed through yellow security tape and clawed into boxes containing the government-issued kits. Postal authority spokeswoman Maya Avishai described the scene as “a brutal onslaught” against law and order, and police were called to calm the crowd.
Jamie Schwed, mother of a newborn, was frustrated to find all the gas masks already distributed. “They warned us of a possible attack, and they run out of masks? It’s ridiculous,” she said.
Officials reported a surge in inquiries, deliveries and people lining up for the free kits, as the United States and its Western allies gathered support for a strike on Syria in retaliation for last week’s alleged poison gas attack outside Damascus. The Syrian government denies responsibility for the attack, which killed hundreds, including many women and children.
(More here.)
JERUSALEM — A shortage of gas masks caused a mini-melee among panicky moms pushing strollers here Wednesday, as Israelis prepared for possible U.S. airstrikes against Syria that could trigger retaliatory attacks inside Israel.
At a post office distribution center in the Hadar Mall in West Jerusalem, Israelis pushed through yellow security tape and clawed into boxes containing the government-issued kits. Postal authority spokeswoman Maya Avishai described the scene as “a brutal onslaught” against law and order, and police were called to calm the crowd.
Jamie Schwed, mother of a newborn, was frustrated to find all the gas masks already distributed. “They warned us of a possible attack, and they run out of masks? It’s ridiculous,” she said.
Officials reported a surge in inquiries, deliveries and people lining up for the free kits, as the United States and its Western allies gathered support for a strike on Syria in retaliation for last week’s alleged poison gas attack outside Damascus. The Syrian government denies responsibility for the attack, which killed hundreds, including many women and children.
(More here.)
Powered by Blogger
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home