Скачать или смотреть WEST BANK: GAS MASKS ISSUED IN CASE OF AN IRAQI ATTACK ON ISRAEL

(11 Feb 1998) Arabic/Eng

Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip are stocking up on gas masks in case of an Iraqi attack on Israel.

But Palestinian leaders say they are confident they will not be harmed if the tensions in the Gulf turn to war.

Nevertheless, U-S pressure has moved the Palestinian Authority to enforce a new ban on pro-Iraq rallies in the West Bank and Gaza Strip on Wednesday.

This time they will be prepared.

Israelis are joining huge lines in order to get their gas masks in case of a possible Iraqi attack on Israel.

The masks for these Israelis are free.

But, so far - no provisions have been made for the more than 250-thousand foreign workers in Israel and the some 60-thousand Palestinians in the West Bank who remain under Israeli occupation.

Hazem Salah - a Palestinian who lives in the West Bank city of Hebron - decided to dig out his dusty gas masks from a store room - just in case.

They are preparing their children for the worst - trying on the old gas masks and wrinkled anti-chemical suits.

For Salah, the thought of war or a possible Iraqi attack on Israel - fills him with a sense of uneasiness.

SOUNDBITE: (Arabic)
\"If Saddam decides to hit Israel, we will be locked in sealed rooms too. We will wear gas masks and chemical suits as well, that is why I am against America attacking Iraq or Iraq hitting Israel.\"
SUPERCAPTION: Hazem Salah, Palestinian

But Salah is not the only Palestinian preparing for a possible attack by Iraq.

In Nablus, students are being given courses on how to put on gas masks and how to behave in case of any bombing or attack.

Despite the rush to be prepared, the Head of the Palestinian Civil Defense Mahmoud Abu Marzouk says there is no urgent need for Palestinians to prepare for a possible war.

Abu Marzouk, is sure that if Iraq decides to attack Israel, they will not target the West Bank or the Gaza Strip where most Palestinians live.

SOUNDBITE: (Arabic)
\"We are not capable of distributing gas masks, we will not be harmed because Iraq will treat us like their own people, if Iraq hit they will know their target\"
SUPERCAPTION: Mahmoud Abu Marzouk, Head of the Palestinian Civil
Defence

Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement this week had organised several pro-Iraq rallies in the West Bank in which marchers burned U-S flags and chanted \"Dear Saddam, attack Tel Aviv.\"

During the 1991 Gulf War, Arafat openly sided with Saddam Hussein, a decision that prompted the expulsion of tens of thousands of Palestinians from Gulf countries.

On Wednesday however, the Palestinian Authority bent to U-S pressure and banned any future rallies.

Hanan Ashrawi minister of Higher Education in the Palestinian authority said that the U-S-Iraqi crisis will be resolved diplomatically.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
\"We are confident that the chances of Iraqi strikes against Israel are very slim indeed\"
SUPERCAPTION: Hanan Ashrawi, Palestinian High Education Minister

There is concern that Saddam will attack Israel with Scud missiles in the event of a U-S military strike against Iraq.

U-N weapons inspectors have said that Saddam has enough biological weapons to wipe out Tel Aviv.

In the Gulf War, Saddam fired 39 Scud missiles at Israel.

Most landed in the coastal area of central Tel Aviv, but some also fell in the West Bank as the Scuds are not very accurate.

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