TEL AVIV — Israeli authorities have begun planning for a Palestinian
missile strike on strategic facilities.
Officials said the military and civilian authorities plan to relocate or
protect strategic sites in Ashkelon, the latest target of Palestinian
gunners. Ashkelon contains a major oil and gas terminal, naval port
and power station.
"Most of these facilities cannot be moved and must be protected," an
official said. "Some smaller sites might be relocated."
Last week, the state-owned Mekorot Water Co. removed a chlorine gas
installation near Ashkelon. The installation, in range of Kassam-class
short-range missiles, contained lethal gas that could have been released by
a Palestinian strike.
"If chlorine gas is struck in a terror attack, it is environmentally
toxic," Mekorot southern regional manager Menachem Nechama told Israel's
Army Radio.
The chlorine gas was stored for treatment of water to the Ashkelon
region. Nechama said Mekorot has replaced the chlorine with the more stable
hypochlorite. Hypochlorite, used in liquid form, was said to be far more
toxic than chlorine.
Israeli military sources said Palestinian insurgency groups were ready
to fire extended-range Kassam and other missiles and rockets from the Gaza
Strip. They said Palestinians have been trained in Iran and Lebanon in the
production and assembly of missiles with a range of 20 kilometers.
On Monday, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported that Israel has received
information that Palestinian insurgency groups have acquired "improved
Katyusha rockets" in the Gaza Strip. The newspaper said the rockets have a
range of 20 kilometers and a warhead of 6.3 kilograms.
Officials said the military plans to protect its bases in the Ashkelon
area. Over the last month, a basic training camp was struck several times by
Kassam missiles and several soldiers were slightly injured.
On Sunday, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz warned that Israel would respond
harshly to Palestinian strikes. Mofaz told the Cabinet that a "new reality
was being created in which the security response to terrorists attempts to
attack Israeli citizens would have to be strengthened."
"Defense Minister Mofaz also noted the weakness and ineffectualness of
both the PA security services and the PA leadership and said that the
security establishment would be prepared for any possible escalation," a
Cabinet statement said.
