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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: michael97123 who wrote (102199)	6/20/2003 5:07:48 PM
From: Nadine Carroll	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Israel has never used chemical or bio weapons. I don't believe they have any. The nuclear weapons program at Dimona is an open secret. The only use of WMDs in the Mideast that I know of, pre-Saddam, is Nasser's use of gas in Yemen in the 1950's. It sounds to me like the Noel is credulously reading Palestinian sources, which will say anything. Palestinian sources have accused Israel of a) poisoning Palestinian wells b) using to IAF to drop poisoned chocolates on the West Bank c) using poison gas d) shooting Palestinian youths in order to harvest organs from them and e) using female soldiers as strippers on tanks to entice Palestinian youth in range. I'm not making any of these examples up. Fortunately, even the most pro-Palestinian UN and Reuters sources still care something for their credibility, and won't back up these absurd reports. They will leap at anything plausible (cf. the "massacre at Jenin"), but even for them there's a limit.

To: michael97123 who wrote (102199)	6/20/2003 5:41:18 PM
From: Noel de Leon	Respond to of 281500

"and had the israel nuke arsenal as more than UK." Sorry, you can not find any post that I have written that says the above. Must be a RWE spin. Another source for you on the question of CB weapons. You might remember that Israel has never admitted to possession of nuclear weapons "Introduction: Forged by the experience of the Holocaust, and its geography defined within a hostile neighborhood, the modern state of Israel has developed a range of weapons systems to ensure its security. Based on the real or perceived threat from its Arab and Persian neighbors, Israel continues to maintain a highly advanced military, a nuclear weapons program, and offensive and defensive missiles. There are unconfirmed allegations that Israel has sought chemical and biological weapons as well. íà ðóññêîì (in Russian) Nuclear \| Biological \| Chemical \| Missile Nuclear: Israel has the most advanced nuclear weapons program in the Middle East. David Ben Gurion, Israel's first prime minister, clandestinely established the program in the late 1950s to meet the perceived existential threat to the nascent state. The program allegedly is centered at the Negev Nuclear Research Center, outside the town of Dimona. Based on estimates of the plutonium production capacity of the Dimona reactor, Israel has approximately 100-200 nuclear explosive devices. Officially, Tel Aviv has declared that it will not be the first to introduce nuclear weapons in the Middle East; however, it has not signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Israel's possession of nuclear weapons and its policy of declaratory ambiguity have led to increased tensions in current Middle East peace discussions and arms control negotiations. Excerpts from the Nuclear and Missile Developments Database Biological: Israel's neighboring states allege that Tel Aviv has an offensive biological weapons (BW) program, but there are no reliable sources on specific biological agents the Israelis may possess. Reportedly, Israeli specialized military units sabotaged water wells with typhoid and dysentery bacteria in Acre (near Haifa), Palestine during the 1948 war, but evidence of such events is fragmentary. Speculation that the program is located at the Israel Institute of Biological Research (IIBR) in Ness Ziona has raised both international and domestic concerns. Activists within the Israeli community have recently protested the expansion of the Institute due to reports, denied by Israeli officials, of multiple injuries and deaths within the facility and one near-evacuation of the surrounding area. Tel Aviv is not a signatory to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC). In 2001, Israel's foreign and defense ministries reassessed policy with regard to the BWC, but no change in approach has yet been made public. Excerpts from the Chemical and Biological Weapons Terrorism Listserv Chemical: While there are allegations that Israel has an advanced chemical weapons (CW) program, no confirmed evidence of production or stockpiling exists. Some reports have suggested an offensive CW program is located at the Israel Institute for Biological Research in Nes Ziona. In October 1992, an El Al airliner carrying a cargo of approximately 50 gallons of dimethyl methylphosphonate (a widely used simulant for defensive research but also a possible precursor of sarin nerve agent) destined for the Institute crashed in Amsterdam. Tel Aviv stated that this material was being imported to test gas masks. Israel has signed but not ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Excerpts from the Chemical and Biological Weapons Terrorism Listserv Missile: Israel's missile program began in the 1960s. Israel has a varied missile industry, having developed ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as missile defense systems and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The Jericho ballistic missiles series was initiated in the 1960s with French assistance, beginning with the short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) Jericho-1 with a 500 km range. In the 1970s, Israel developed the intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) Jericho-2, a two-stage, solid-fueled missile with a range of 1,500 to 3,500 km. There are some unconfirmed reports that suggest the existence of a 4,800 km-range Jericho-3 missile that may stem from Israel's space launch vehicle, the Shavit. Israel has also developed, with U.S. financial assistance, the Arrow theater defense missile, which has become one of the only functioning missile defense systems in the world. In addition to these systems, Israel has become a leading exporter of UAVs. Israel is not a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), though it has pledged to abide by the MTCR Guidelines. Excerpts from the Nuclear and Missile Developments " nti.org Michael, I don't believe that the 50 gallons of dimethyl methylphosphonate (a widely used simulant for defensive research but also a possible precursor of sarin nerve agent) was for peaceful use.

To: michael97123 who wrote (102199)	6/20/2003 6:15:25 PM
From: Noel de Leon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

and another source. "Weapons of Mass Destruction Capabilities and Programs1 Nuclear2 Sophisticated nuclear weapons program with an estimated 100-200 weapons, which can be delivered by ballistic missiles or aircraft. Nuclear arsenal may include thermonuclear weapons. 150MW heavy water reactor and plutonium reprocessing facility at Dimona, which are not under IAEA safeguards. IRR-1 5MW research reactor at Soreq, under IAEA safeguards. Not a signatory of the NPT; signed the CTBT on 9/25/96. Chemical3 Active weapons program, but not believed to have deployed chemical warheads on ballistic missiles. Production capability for mustard and nerve agents. Signed the CWC on 1/13/93, currently debating its ratification. Biological4 Production capability and extensive research reportedly conducted at the Biological Research Institute in Ness Ziona. No publicly confirmed evidence of production. Not a signatory of the BTWC. Ballistic missiles5 Approximately 50 Jericho-2 missiles with 1,500km range and 1,000kg payload, nuclear warheads may be stored in close proximity. Approximately 50 Jericho-1 missiles with 500km range and 500kg payload. MGM-52 Lance missiles with 130km range and 450kg payload.. Shavit space launch vehicle (SLV) with 4,500km range and 150kg to 250kg payload. Unconfirmed reports of Jericho-3 program under development using Shavit technologies, with a range up to 4,800km and 1000kg payload. Developing Next (Shavit upgrade) SLV with unknown range and 300-500kg payload. cns.miis.edu