November 9, 2002

About 5,500 beepers, which use lights and vibrations to alert their owners, will send instructions to "take cover" and put on gas masks when there is word of an impending attack. The beepers will also give an "all clear" signal when it deemed is safe to resume normal activity.

Half the beepers were distributed Tuesday, said Yehuda Weinraub, a spokesman for the quasi-governmental Jewish Agency. The agency bought the pagers with contributions from American Jewish communities.

Israelis are concerned that Iraq may fire missiles at Israel if the United States launches military action against the Arab nation. In the 1991 Gulf War, Iraq fired 39 Scud missiles at Israel, causing damage and injuries, but no deaths.

© Copyright 2002 By The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.