Israeli Responses to the Threat of Chemical Warfare

Abstract

For the six weeks of the 1991 Gulf War, Israel was faced with the possibility of attack by Iraqi chemical weapons. In response, and in contrast to their behavior over the previous 44 years, the Israelis took a defensive approach, and Israel became the first country since World War II to provide its entire population with gas masks and protection kits. In addition, Israel also engaged in active defense measures by deploying Patriot missiles.

The defensive response to the Iraqi chemical threat raises a number of questions about military doctrine and the sociopolitical implications of the policy. This article describes and analyzes the perceived threat in Israel; the policy debate that was sparked by the threat of chemical attack and available responses to it; the impact of "the policy of restraint" and the absence of retaliation on Israeli military doctrine and decision-making in the area of deterrence; the interaction between Israel and the United States over this issue; and the impact on Israeli-U.S. strategic links and Israeli security policy. The policies adopted by Israel, and the debate that accompanied them during and after the war, will have a significant impact on both Israeli policy and the Middle East for many years.