Dimona reactor

By Mohammed Zeyada & Yasser Al-Banna,  IOL Correspondents

CAIRO , August 24 (IslamOnline.net) – Israel 's infamous Dimona nuclear reactor is posing a grave threat to the life of Israeli citizens, those of neighboring countries and even to birds, according to Palestinian sources and Israeli reports.

Palestinian hospital reports show that around 500 cases with diseases of skin tumors and congenital distortions are reported on annual basis in the Palestinian areas adjacent to the Dimona reactor.

"The only explanation for the high rate of diseases is the nuclear radiations," Dr. Mahmoud Saada, founder of the Palestinian medical relief body told IslamOnline.net Tuesday, August 24.

"South of Hebron (Al Khalil), people suffering from cancer check into hospitals daily and there are numerous cases of deformed babies, in addition to other people suffering from skin tumors due to the reactor radiations," he said.

Saada further put at %62 the rate of infertility among men and women south of Hebron due to the radiations of the Dimona reactor.

For his part, Sakr Abu Saalouk, spokesman for the Araar town, located near the Dimona reactor said that the Arab residents are suffering from different kinds of diseases as well as high rates of infertility.

"A lot of residents have died out of cancer and others are suffering from the deadly disease," he told IslamOnline.net.

"The Israeli decision to distribute anti-radiation tablets was a clear evidence on serious health problem in the area," he added.

Abu Saalouk stressed that Israel has used to bury the nuclear wastes in areas located at a distance of 25km from Araar.

Arab Knesset member, Abdul Malek Dahamsha, on his part, said that Israel no longer conceals the hazards of the Dimona reactor especially after its decision to distribute anti-radiation tablets among the Israeli citizens living near the reactor.

He told IslamOnline.net that the Dimona reactor was built 50 years ago which means that it has become very old and Israel no longer hides this, that is why it distributes anti-radiation pills among the citizens.

"At the beginning, the Israeli health ministry excluded the Arab citizens from receiving the anti-radiation tablets but later it backed down on its decision after the fuss made by the Arab citizens living in the area," he added.

Threats to Wild Life

Even birds suffer

Meanwhile, a group of 150 storks died and 30 other birds were injured after landing at a pool on the outskirts of Dimona, according to Israel's daily Ha'aretz Tuesday.

"In migrating season people are positioned near the pools in order to prevent the storks from coming close to them," said NPA inspector peter Ravin.

The officials attributed the causes of death to drinking the toxic waste water resulting from the Rotem chemical plant near the town of Dimona , in the Negev Desert .

The Israeli satellite channel had earlier warned neighboring countries against radiation leakage from the Dimona reactor, saying the Israeli reactor has become very old.

For his part, a physician expert has warned that the city of Hebron is polluted with radiations from Dimon.

"The climate in south Hebron is polluted with nuclear radiations as the area is close to the Dimona reactor," he said, quoting Akhbar Al Neqeb newspaper.

He said that the cement walls around the reactor don't iron out the radiation influences, consequently people in the area are affected by the nuclear radiation.

Mordechai Vanunu, the Israeli nuclear whistleblower who was imprisoned for 18 years in Israel for exposing its nuclear secrets to the world, has warned of the increasing risk of Dimona's nuclear reactor, demanding the Israeli government to shut it down.

Vanunu told Al-Jazeera satellite channel Monday, August 23 that the Dimona reactor became very old, and unless it shuts down, another " Chernobyl " disaster might occur again in the region.