Their plight, added to the fact that none of Israel's stated war goals were accomplished, triggered harsh criticism of the leadership of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz, as well as army chief Lieutenant General Dan Halutz, who resigned.
Yesterday's drill appeared to be an effort to show that will not happen again.
During the exercise, police, soldiers and rescue crews responded to simulated assaults in seven different locations.
At a high school in the Tel Aviv suburb of Ramat Gan, stun grenades boomed as yellow smoke wafted over the basketball court in a simulated chemical attack by two armed men wearing signs saying "terrorist." Soldiers acting as students shrieked and ran, collapsing as they wiped their eyes in mock pain.
One of the assailants was "shot" and the other pretended to blow himself up with explosives. Chemical treatment workers dressed in protective suits rushed in to neutralize the substance, while paramedics wearing gas masks emerged from several ambulances.
In the parking lot, firetrucks set up showers to wash chemicals from "victims." Finally, antiterror forces armed with large guns swarmed the school, running into the basketball court and up the inside stairwell. Two pounced on the wounded assailant, holding him down.
Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh said the exercise was meant in part to defend against a possible Iranian missile attack.
