Comptroller warns IDF not ready for chemical weapons attack

The IDF is not prepared for the dangers posed by a chemical weapons attack, a new report issued on Monday by State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman has concluded.

Highlighting why the threat needs to be taken seriously, Englman wrote, “Use of chemical weapons in war has been a known threat for many years. During the civil war in Syria, starting from 2011, the Syrian regime used chemical weapons against the rebels and against civilians.”

“Other militaries are struggling with this threat, including the US military, which views it as a significant and complex challenge,” said the report.

The report covers the period of June 2019 until February 2020 and it lists a number of deficiencies.

According to the comptroller, both the land forces more broadly and the special weapons of mass destruction ( WMD) units are poorly prepared. Training border security units on how to inspect for or handle potential chemical items is not up to the necessary standards, said Englman.

Other relevant units also do not train enough for chemical weapons scenarios, but the comptroller did compliment the IDF’s general improvement in tailoring training to mission goals.

Englman recommended that the commander of the land forces lead a campaign to improve combat units’ readiness for chemical warfare.

In September 2014, the deputy IDF chief- of- staff placed responsibility for WMD gear on the Home Front Command. But in practice, the relevant equipment remained spread out in a disorganized manner throughout the infantry forces, the Home Front Command and the IDF Air and Space forces.

The report said that current IDF Deputy Chief- of- Staff Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir should institute a process to ensure that the flagged deficiencies are addressed.

Responding in May, Zamir said that the military would re- evaluate its readiness for the chemical weapons issue, but only within the context of the broader “Momentum” financial plan.

Further, he added that it would only be funded to the extent that funding was available, given the IDF’s many priorities.