Jordanian officials, experts warn against danger of the Israeli Dimona reactor
Jordan-Regional, Politics, 2/11/2000

Jordanian officials and experts have warned against dangers that might be posed to Jordan and other countries from the Israeli Dimona nuclear reactor which was built in al-Negev desert, following news which said that the life span set for 30 years for this reactor which was built at the end of the 1950s has expired and that its own existence and radiation leakage from it pose real dangers that can affect humans as well as the soil and underground waters stressing that there is no way but to close it down.

In this respect, Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdul Illah al-Khatib called in a statement to the Jordanian daily al-Rai on Wednesday for subjugating the nuclear firms in the region to control measures enacted by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The Jordanian minister indicated that Jordan believes in the existence of a Middle East free from nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction.

Al-Khatib added, "People in our region will not feel secure unless these firms, including the Dimona reactor are put under international inspection, besides the success of the Middle East peace process means that there is no need for any traditional armament."

Meanwhile, the former secretary general of Wadi al-Aurdon (Jordan Valley) authority, Dureid Mahasenyah, told the same paper that dangers of the Dimona reactor do not only lie in the rays but also in the effects resulting from waste which is kept in secret areas which are believed to be in the Houfaf region in the Negev, near the Gaza Strip.

Mahasenah, who also presided over the Jordanian side at the joint water committee with Israel, stated that the Americans had backed the Israeli position which refused to discuss this matter in the multilateral talks in order to postpone it until the final status negotiations.

However, an expert in Amman says that fears and the dangers are not about the condition of this reactor but over when a state of pollution of radiation leakage from it takes place. Then the result will be drastic on a vast area extending from southern Jordan and northern Saudi Arabia until Egypt and other areas.

This expert added there are also dangers to the Jordanian water basins in the southern region, especially the Wadi Araba basin which adjoins the border with Israel as well as the al-Deisi water basin (which is non-renewable) and on which Jordan pins great hopes to settle its water crisis.

Previous Stories:
  Palestinians want Israel to rid itself of nuclear weapons in final status agreement   (1/10/2000)
  Egypt calls anew to put Israeli nuke installations under IAEA inspection   (11/13/1999)
  Jordan asks Israel to close Dimona reactor   (10/4/1999)

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