Y2K fears dominate new millennium celebrations
Palestine-Israel, Local, 12/31/1999

For the Palestinians, the Y2K was the least they could worry about. The normal tests were done on all major computerized installations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and they all seemed to be functioning properly and are well prepared for the Y2K.

What concerned the Palestinians, though, was the unseen threat of suicidal religious Christians who might have arrived in the country to celebrate the end of the second millennium in their own way by means of committing suicide attacks en masse. But hours before the end of the century, the streets of the city of Bethlehem were almost empty of tourists. As of the afternoon hours, Palestinians living in the area and in other parts of the West Bank and Occupied Jerusalem started to pour into the Manger Square to take their positions waiting for the main festival at night.

The Palestinian government has prepared a special candle-lighting ceremony to mark the 35th anniversary of the proclamation of Fatah, the Palestine National Liberation Movement. Candle holders were due to take the light from the center of Bethlehem to all cities, towns, villages and refugee camps all over the country. Later in the night, the programmers had plenty of activities that combined between the religious aspect of the event for Christians and the secular aspect of the celebrations as well.

The Palestinian police set up a special situation room in the Peace Building, a new compound that was built on the ruins of the formerly police station across Manger Square. The rooftop of the building was taken for live standup positions where television reporters from various parts of the world had arrived to cover the event. They all had booked their satellite transmissions and other facilities from LINK, a new Palestinian production company that obtained the exclusive rights to cover and transmit by satellite the whole celebrations of the year 2000.

In Israel itself, a special situation room was also set up where senior officers from the police and the army and representatives of the local authorities, the Electric Corporation, the telecommunications company, the first aid department and the fire department had gathered to monitor whatever surprises may occur as the clock turns to zero by midnight.

Israeli police went on alert and thousands of them were deployed throughout the country and particularly in Jerusalem where hundreds of thousands of Moslem worshippers have arrived from West Bank towns to attend the Friday prayers. Hundreds of soldiers spread out over the roads to help in directing traffic in case of a traffic light malfunction occurs due to expectations of heavy traffic.

One of the leading problems Israel was worried about was potential incidents involving toxic materials, particularly in plants which emit wastes without supervision and endanger the public and the area. These factories were given instructions to limit their activity. Chemical industries in Israel stopped their production and were told to cease any dumping of toxic wastes. The nuclear plant in Dimona, where Israel is believed to have stockpiled at least 250 nuclear bombs, was also shut down for two days, for the first time since its establishment back in the mid 50s. Israel's airspace was shut for six hours starting from one hour before midnight out of fear that Y2K bug would disrupt the safety of incoming and outgoing flights.

Previous Stories:
  Jordanian airlines changes flight schedules   (12/30/1999)
  Qatari airline to cancel New Years flights   (12/28/1999)
  UAE expects no major Y2K problems   (12/21/1999)

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