Dimona's Winds of Death?
Perhaps the most eye-catching aspect of the prevailing controversial discussions about the alleged radiations of the Israeli nuclear reactor in Dimona, which operates under the name of "Nuclear Research Center," is that the Arab reaction is based on Israeli information from two main sources: the statements of the former Israeli nuclear expert Mordechai Vanunu on one of the Arab satellite TV channels, and a scientific research carried by the Israeli Ben-Gurion University (BGU) in cooperation with the Nuclear Research in Wadi Surik and the participation of the Water Authority in Israel. However, there are several previous studies and reports that confirmed that the dangers of the Dimona reactor are no longer assumptions but realities that led to the death of dozens of staff working at the reactor of cancer, and the increase of cancer cases in the Palestinian and Jordanian regions neighboring the Negev Desert.
Vanunu's statements, who spent around 18 years in Israeli prisons for revealing nuclear secrets to The Sunday Times, focused on Dimona's radiations impact on Jordan, which is only 15 km from the reactor. Vanunu said that ever since 1968, Israel produces over 40 kg of plutonium per year. What happened in Chernobyl could be repeated in Dimona, given the similar data between both cases. As for the BGU research, it stated a noteworthy quantity of radiation leakages into the subterranean water systems in both Wadi Araba and the Negev Desert.
In spite of this, the Arab reaction, especially that of the two most affected countries; Jordan, because of the radiations contaminating its soil; and Egypt, because its subterranean water (in Sinai) is thought to be contaminated, was limited to "worries" and calls to double check if this information is true. Jordan, as its official spokesperson Asma Khader said, doubted Vanunu's statements at first. Later, under pressures of the parties, forces, popular organizations and the media, gave up its position and asked for the help of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts. As for Egypt, the members of both health and agriculture committees in parliament called the Prime Minister to call Israel to discuss the issue of the subterranean and soil contamination in Sinai, and send a highly specialized taskforce to the region.
All affected neighboring countries should react to the danger of these radiations, and the international community should do the same; especially since the Israeli government implicitly admitted Dimona's danger by giving iodine pills to the residents in the neighboring regions, save for the Palestinian detainees in the Negev Desert. However, the truth is that both Jordan and Egypt, which have good relations with Israel, should seek technical and political solutions by obliging Israel to shutdown Dimona, which is an environmental threat and human disaster.
Are these realistic claims? Is it possible for Jordan and Egypt to raise their voices against the Dimona disaster? Is it not the Arab region's peoples' right to have an opinion and defend their lives after they gave up everything to the governments and regimes? What role should they play in facing the coming danger?
No doubt that these questions, and others, will remain unanswered, waiting for the governments to express their opinions. As for the answers, they should stay away of avoiding the clash with Israel, and pushing the American pressures and practice the minimum duties required by the national security and the peoples' interests and right to live, at least. We really hope that the answers do not come too late.
Maamoun Al Husseini Al-Hayat 2004/08/25
Vanunu's statements, who spent around 18 years in Israeli prisons for revealing nuclear secrets to The Sunday Times, focused on Dimona's radiations impact on Jordan, which is only 15 km from the reactor. Vanunu said that ever since 1968, Israel produces over 40 kg of plutonium per year. What happened in Chernobyl could be repeated in Dimona, given the similar data between both cases. As for the BGU research, it stated a noteworthy quantity of radiation leakages into the subterranean water systems in both Wadi Araba and the Negev Desert.
In spite of this, the Arab reaction, especially that of the two most affected countries; Jordan, because of the radiations contaminating its soil; and Egypt, because its subterranean water (in Sinai) is thought to be contaminated, was limited to "worries" and calls to double check if this information is true. Jordan, as its official spokesperson Asma Khader said, doubted Vanunu's statements at first. Later, under pressures of the parties, forces, popular organizations and the media, gave up its position and asked for the help of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts. As for Egypt, the members of both health and agriculture committees in parliament called the Prime Minister to call Israel to discuss the issue of the subterranean and soil contamination in Sinai, and send a highly specialized taskforce to the region.
All affected neighboring countries should react to the danger of these radiations, and the international community should do the same; especially since the Israeli government implicitly admitted Dimona's danger by giving iodine pills to the residents in the neighboring regions, save for the Palestinian detainees in the Negev Desert. However, the truth is that both Jordan and Egypt, which have good relations with Israel, should seek technical and political solutions by obliging Israel to shutdown Dimona, which is an environmental threat and human disaster.
Are these realistic claims? Is it possible for Jordan and Egypt to raise their voices against the Dimona disaster? Is it not the Arab region's peoples' right to have an opinion and defend their lives after they gave up everything to the governments and regimes? What role should they play in facing the coming danger?
No doubt that these questions, and others, will remain unanswered, waiting for the governments to express their opinions. As for the answers, they should stay away of avoiding the clash with Israel, and pushing the American pressures and practice the minimum duties required by the national security and the peoples' interests and right to live, at least. We really hope that the answers do not come too late.
Maamoun Al Husseini Al-Hayat 2004/08/25
posted by R7 | 8/26/2004 06:08:00 PM
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