Death Chamber

Israel Re-operates X-ray Checking at Rafah Crossing

Xinhuanet 23jul2005

GAZA — The Palestinian Public Health Ministry said on Saturday that Israel had re-operated the "X-ray" chamber to check out Palestinians at Rafah Crossing on the borders between Gaza Strip and Egypt.

Moaweya Hasanen, chief of emergency in the ministry said that Israeli soldiers at the crossing forced Palestinian passengers this morning to the chamber for checking. Hasanen denounced that "using such kind of rays at Rafah crossing to check Palestinian passengers would cause severe side effects and cause fatal diseases in the future."

Meanwhile, Palestinian Minister of Crossings and Borders, Salim Abu Safeya said that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has asked Israel to stop using the rays' equipments and is waiting for its response over the issue.

"We will not hinder in closing the crossing in case Israel insisted on using such equipments," he said, adding that "we ordered the Palestinian employees on the border to prevent passengers from leaving Gaza Strip for their safety."

The X-ray chamber or "The death chamber" as the Palestinian physicians and passengers describe has dangerous affect which is unique of its kind and was prepared especially for the Palestinian citizens passing the terminal.

According to passengers, "the room made of lead-fortified glass equipped with an accumulative X-ray that penetrates the human body."

Palestinian physicians had reported previously that these rays cause dangerous and hard-to-treat diseases, which appears after a long period of time.

About three months ago Israel stopped using the X-Ray chamber while checking out the Palestinian passengers traveling via the Rafah crossing, the only in-and-out crossing for Gaza Strip population.

Israel after a serious Palestinian demands decided in the beginning of April to remove these rays' equipments

Several human rights and health organizations had urged Israel to remove the rays' equipments for the safety of the Palestinians who use Rafah crossing everyday to go to Egypt.

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