ANNEX 5
REPORT ON THE AL AQSA
UPRISING 2000
-
Letter
to the Israeli Minister of Justice Yossi Beilin regarding the use of
DU-ammunition, 26 November 2000
Israel Minister of Justice
Yossi Beilin
Fax: (02) 6285438
Jerusalem, 26 November 2000
Re: Use of DU-ammunition against
Palestinian civilian targets
The Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring
Group (PHRMG) has received reports that the Israeli Army is using
so-called DU-ammunition (Depleted Uranium) in its intensified use of
bombardment by Apache and Cobra helicopters throughout the West Bank and
Gaza Strip.
Sources confirm that the helicopters sold
to the Israeli Army by the US are equipped with American weapon systems.
The fact that Israel does possess DU-ammunition is not contested. NATO
admitted to using DU-ammunition and grenades in Yugoslavia and in the Gulf
War.
Depleted Uranium (DU) is used in armour
piercing ammunition because of its very high density. It has been used by
the US in two recent military campaigns, the Gulf War and Kosovo. The
amount of radioactivity in DU is low, and is less than in naturally
occurring uranium to which we are all exposed to in, for example, drinking
water.
However, according to the United Kingdom
National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB), concerns have been raised
that DU contamination might present a health risk to both military
personnel and civilian populations. There are two types of potential
hazard posed by the use of DU: a chemical toxicity hazard and a radiation
hazard. There are a number of ways in which Palestinian civilians could
have been exposed to DU during the recent bombardments on civilian houses
and areas by Israeli helicopters. The most likely risk is to enter areas
that have been damaged and contaminated by DU ammunition. The risk depends
on the chemical form of this contamination. If the contamination is
soluble, then DU could be absorbed in to the body following inhalation or
ingestion. In this case the kidney is the organ most likely to be affected
by the heavy metal chemical toxic effect of DU. If the areas are
contaminated by insoluble uranium oxides, then any hazard could arise from
disturbing the contamination and inhaling the dust. The insoluble dust
could be deposited in the lungs and over a very long period of time could
be a contributory cause of lung cancer. In both cases very large exposures
would be required to cause a significant increase in the risk of either
kidney damage or lung cancer.
More information on DU can be obtained from
the page on the UK Ministry of Defense web-site concerning the illnesses
of Gulf War veterans.
We are extremely disturbed by these
reports. Helicopters have repeatedly fired in densely populated areas in
the Palestinian occupied territories, most recently during the air- and
sea attacks on Gaza City on Monday 20.11.2000. The spread of particles and
dust after the use of DU-ammunition will thus be more concentrated, as
this ammunition has been fired at populated areas more than under the
bombings in Yugoslavia or under the Gold War. The helicopters have openly
targeted civilian homes owned by leaders of the Intifada according to
Israeli intelligence reports. These attacks violate the Geneva convention
itself.
The West Bank and Gaza experience a lack of
agricultural land and water resources because of the prolonged occupation
and the recent crisis. A pollution of food - and water resources will have
dramatic consequences which we cannot yet know the consequences of
because DU-ammunition has never been used in such densely populated areas
as it has been in the Palestinian occupied territories.
We would be grateful for a response to the
following questions:
1)
What kind of DU (Depleted Uranium) ammunition has been used in the
Israeli Army’s bombardment of Palestinian villages and cities during
October and November 2000?
2)
What areas have been targeted by DU-ammunition?
3)
What pro-active steps is the Israeli army taking to ensure that
DU-ammunition is not used in densely populated Palestinian areas ?
Looking forward to your prompt reply,
Sincerely,
Bassem Eid
Executive Director
PHRMG
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