Mel Frykberg, Al-Ahram Weekly, Apr 27, 2007
This article was originally published by Al-Ahram Weekly and is republished with permission.
Doctors in Gaza have been reporting strange wounds on the bodies of innocent bystanders and those targeted by drones. These wounds consist of many small holes, often invisible to X-rays, and burns caused by heat so intense that many cases have required amputation because of the extensive burning.
Habas Al-Wahid, head of the emergency centre at the Shuhada Al-Aqsa Hospital in Gaza city told the journalists that the legs of the injured were sliced from their bodies "as if a saw was used to cut through the bone." But there was no evidence of ordinary metal shrapnel in or near the wounds.
At Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Juma Saka said that on examination of the wounds, the doctors had found a powder on the victim's bodies and in their internal organs. Afterwards they removed the microscopic particles which turned out to be carbon and tungsten.
"The powder was like microscopic shrapnel, and this is likely what caused the injuries," Saka said. Complicating the issue was the death of many patients several days afterwards, although they appeared to recover initially. Accusations that Israel is using Gaza and its inhabitants as a laboratory to test new military weapons, have been made from several quarters.
"We don't know what it means -- new weapons or something added to a previous weapon," said Saied Joudda, deputy director at the Kamal Odwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip.
To back up their personal experiences, a group of doctors compiled extensive documentary evidence of the extent of the wounds, which occurred specifically in the legs. In other parts of the body, metallic fragments, bigger than the size of the small wounds, were found.
"In our opinion, Israel has also used chemical weapons, such as numerous cases demonstrate, documented cases, with persons having extremely serious burns to their internal organs in the absence of external wounds," said Mouawia, a cardio-vascular surgeon and director-general of emergency services in Gaza.
An investigating team of Italian journalists produced a documentary on Italian state television's satellite channel, RAI News 24, alleging that Israel used dense inert metal explosives (DIME) against Palestinian targets in July and August of last year. This followed journalists taking samples of the microscopic explosives from Gaza and having them tested in a laboratory in Italy.
Carmela Vaccaio, a doctor at the University of Parma, examined samples sent by the Italian reporters from the Gaza Strip and found a high concentration of carbon, as well as copper, aluminium and tungsten, which she considered to be unusual materials. In her report she concluded, "these findings could be in line with the hypothesis that the weapon in question is DIME. The same investigating team also exposed the US military's use of white phosphorus against civilians during attacks on Falluja in Iraq.
Similar accusations were made against Israel during the Lebanon war, when the Jewish state originally denied using phosphorous against Lebanese civilians. But several days later, following the explosive allegations of the Italian journalists and with overwhelming evidence, Israeli cabinet minister, Jacob Edery confirmed that the Israeli military had in fact made use of phosphorous shells.
Israel is accused of dropping more than a million cluster bombs in the south of Lebanon just a few days before the ceasefire. Since then there have been several Lebanese deaths on a daily basis after people accidentally trod on unexploded shells.
According to military experts, DIME is a carbon-encased missile that shatters on impact into minuscule splinters, at the same time setting off an explosive that shoots blades of energy-charged, heavy metal tungsten alloy (HMTA) powder, such as cobalt and nickel or iron, with a carbon fibre casing. It turns to dust on impact, as it loses inertia very quickly due to air resistance, burning and destroying through a very precise angulation everything within a four-metre range, as opposed to the shrapnel which results from the fragmentation of a metal casing. The designation of the metal as "inert" is due to the metal's non-involvement in the blast, rather than the metal being chemically or biologically inert.
This technology is one of a new range of "low collateral damage" or LCD weapons designed to minimise the damage to nearby property, by confining its increased lethal effects to a restricted space. So it is "ideal for densely populated areas" and "helping the warfighter to prevent the loss of public support," according to its enthusiastic proponents.
Israeli military spokesmen have refused to acknowledge or deny the use of DIME in Gaza, but simply stated that Israel only uses weapons that are legal under international law. The catch is that as DIME is a new weapon, the jury is still out as it still has to be assessed.
However, Yitzhak Ben-Israel, a major-general in the Israel Air Force, and former head of the army's weapons- development programme didn't deny that the Israelis had used DIME in Gaza but went on to explain its credentials.
"The idea behind DIME is to allow the accurate pin- pointing of targets without causing collateral damage to innocent bystanders. This is a technology that allows the striking of very small targets."
This would conveniently fit in with Israel's policy of targeted assassinations, however as the Gaza Strip is so densely populated with nearly 1.5 million people crammed into an area 10 by six miles, the chances of innocent bystanders being hit is very high.
In addition to being seriously maimed, injured and killed, due to the carcinogenic effects of DIME, the number of Palestinians becoming afflicted with cancer will multiply in the long term, in addition to their environment being extensively damaged should the Israelis continue to use this new weapon with impunity.
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Palestinians inspect a destroyed building after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, last summer. (Maan Images) |
Habas Al-Wahid, head of the emergency centre at the Shuhada Al-Aqsa Hospital in Gaza city told the journalists that the legs of the injured were sliced from their bodies "as if a saw was used to cut through the bone." But there was no evidence of ordinary metal shrapnel in or near the wounds.
At Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Juma Saka said that on examination of the wounds, the doctors had found a powder on the victim's bodies and in their internal organs. Afterwards they removed the microscopic particles which turned out to be carbon and tungsten.
"The powder was like microscopic shrapnel, and this is likely what caused the injuries," Saka said. Complicating the issue was the death of many patients several days afterwards, although they appeared to recover initially. Accusations that Israel is using Gaza and its inhabitants as a laboratory to test new military weapons, have been made from several quarters.
"We don't know what it means -- new weapons or something added to a previous weapon," said Saied Joudda, deputy director at the Kamal Odwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip.
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To back up their personal experiences, a group of doctors compiled extensive documentary evidence of the extent of the wounds, which occurred specifically in the legs. In other parts of the body, metallic fragments, bigger than the size of the small wounds, were found.
"In our opinion, Israel has also used chemical weapons, such as numerous cases demonstrate, documented cases, with persons having extremely serious burns to their internal organs in the absence of external wounds," said Mouawia, a cardio-vascular surgeon and director-general of emergency services in Gaza.
An investigating team of Italian journalists produced a documentary on Italian state television's satellite channel, RAI News 24, alleging that Israel used dense inert metal explosives (DIME) against Palestinian targets in July and August of last year. This followed journalists taking samples of the microscopic explosives from Gaza and having them tested in a laboratory in Italy.
Carmela Vaccaio, a doctor at the University of Parma, examined samples sent by the Italian reporters from the Gaza Strip and found a high concentration of carbon, as well as copper, aluminium and tungsten, which she considered to be unusual materials. In her report she concluded, "these findings could be in line with the hypothesis that the weapon in question is DIME. The same investigating team also exposed the US military's use of white phosphorus against civilians during attacks on Falluja in Iraq.
Similar accusations were made against Israel during the Lebanon war, when the Jewish state originally denied using phosphorous against Lebanese civilians. But several days later, following the explosive allegations of the Italian journalists and with overwhelming evidence, Israeli cabinet minister, Jacob Edery confirmed that the Israeli military had in fact made use of phosphorous shells.
Israel is accused of dropping more than a million cluster bombs in the south of Lebanon just a few days before the ceasefire. Since then there have been several Lebanese deaths on a daily basis after people accidentally trod on unexploded shells.
According to military experts, DIME is a carbon-encased missile that shatters on impact into minuscule splinters, at the same time setting off an explosive that shoots blades of energy-charged, heavy metal tungsten alloy (HMTA) powder, such as cobalt and nickel or iron, with a carbon fibre casing. It turns to dust on impact, as it loses inertia very quickly due to air resistance, burning and destroying through a very precise angulation everything within a four-metre range, as opposed to the shrapnel which results from the fragmentation of a metal casing. The designation of the metal as "inert" is due to the metal's non-involvement in the blast, rather than the metal being chemically or biologically inert.
This technology is one of a new range of "low collateral damage" or LCD weapons designed to minimise the damage to nearby property, by confining its increased lethal effects to a restricted space. So it is "ideal for densely populated areas" and "helping the warfighter to prevent the loss of public support," according to its enthusiastic proponents.
Israeli military spokesmen have refused to acknowledge or deny the use of DIME in Gaza, but simply stated that Israel only uses weapons that are legal under international law. The catch is that as DIME is a new weapon, the jury is still out as it still has to be assessed.
However, Yitzhak Ben-Israel, a major-general in the Israel Air Force, and former head of the army's weapons- development programme didn't deny that the Israelis had used DIME in Gaza but went on to explain its credentials.
"The idea behind DIME is to allow the accurate pin- pointing of targets without causing collateral damage to innocent bystanders. This is a technology that allows the striking of very small targets."
This would conveniently fit in with Israel's policy of targeted assassinations, however as the Gaza Strip is so densely populated with nearly 1.5 million people crammed into an area 10 by six miles, the chances of innocent bystanders being hit is very high.
In addition to being seriously maimed, injured and killed, due to the carcinogenic effects of DIME, the number of Palestinians becoming afflicted with cancer will multiply in the long term, in addition to their environment being extensively damaged should the Israelis continue to use this new weapon with impunity.
5 comments:
"Israel Requests 3,500 Mk84 Bombs
Posted 24-Apr-2007 06:21
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency has notified Congress of Israel's request for 3,500 MK-84 general purpose bomb units, which are 2,000 pound bomb bodies. The Mk84 versions Israel is requesting would carry about 945 pounds of tritonal (about 80% TNT/ 20% aluminum) explosives, as opposed to using H-6. Mk80 family weapons can be fitted with a number of kits to give them laser guidance, GPS/INS guidance, extended range, and/or other capabilities as required; the Israelis have created kits of their own for such purposes, including the Spice GPS/laser guided weapon. The total value of this contract, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $65 million.
The deal would also entail testing, support equipment, spares and repair parts, supply support, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical data, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance, and other related elements of logistics support. The prime contractor will be General Dynamics in Garland, TX; Israel has used Mk 84s for a long time, and there are no known offset agreements in connection with this proposed sale."
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2007/04/israel-requests-3500-mk84-bombs/index.php
Israel AIN'T done with you AMERICA,not yet!
We need to nationalize defense and energy.
We need to nationalize our government.
It is time to call for a general strike.
Our infra structure is so tight, the smallest unintended event will lock it up like a nun's condom cabinet.
For example, a kid that steps on a burned-out bottlerocket and then goes to the airport to get daddy and accidently steps on a taveler's carry on bag can literally bring the workd to a stop.
THE MONEY FOR THE TROOPS:
A 100 Billion$ devided by 100 Thousand troops, equals 10 Million$. So each soldier in Iraq will leave Iraq with 10 Million dollars in their pockets? Hmmmm...
Today on CSPAN2 (title: LEAVING IRAQ)- there were mainstream academics and journalists - LIVE - concluding it is time for Americans to consider dissidence. They did not accept the faulty intelligence contingency those who voted for the war now claim. The conclusion was that none of our elected officials are to be trusted. That it may be time to take matters into our own hand. That impeachment was more than process for failure. Impeachment is a necessary declaration by Americans that the rule of law, the constutution, prevails.
Without impeachment - we have accepted lawlessness.
Pretty strong words from a TV show - watch it.
I read a statistic a few days back. It takes 400,000 rounds of small arms fire to kill one Iraqi - and about 200,000 to kill one Afghani.
Why hasn't an entreprenuer, who is good with a knife made offers like: "I'll kill an Iraqi for just the retail price of only 50,000 Bullets."
Now that's what I call the American way!
The government was compared to Leon Trotsky. A Jew on the panel discussed a messianic form of Judaism that has infected a small authoritarian association of politruk in Israel.
They are beginning to see - that the Jew is bait - the Jew is being manipulated. The Jewish Politruk (leadership and Zionists) are in the pockets of the War and Oil Houses.
The Jew isn't doing this. THe Muslim isn't doing this - the evangelical isn't doing this - a small crowd of greedy souless wealthy dominion heritics (Bildebergs - Gore's daughter married a Schiff) - the a-holes that own the War Banks - the a-holes that own the Oil Banks - the A HOLES THAT ARE MAKING ALL THE MONEY FROM THIS - are the ones running the leadership of those sheeple desperate for institutional fear.
They fear an absence of fear. Without fear - they are empty.
Time to turn things `round!
Cadavre
The Top 40
http://www.911truth.org/article.php?story=20041221155307646
Is it okay if we muslims start to call these people dogs now without being beat up by the rest of you?
They are dogs. They have no morality, they do not believe in God and they will eventually go to hell for all eternity.
PLUS, they will now be subjugated once again by the muslims who are going to prevail against the US/Zionist "assassination machine".
I'll bet that they hope that the muslims will protect them now. I'll bet they truly are hoping for some sympathy from us.
I personally wouldn't piss on an Israeli if he was on fire but I might be convinced to call the fire department.
Salaams
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