The Palestinian weekly, Al-Manar, published an article signed by "The Palestinian Center for Information Sources-Gaza", whichstated that "serious thinking has began a while ago about obtaining biological weapons." Following are excerpts from the article,titled "Will We Reach the Option of Biological Deterrence?":[1]
"Due to the seriously uneven balance of power in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and in light of the escalation of the racist aggression, which elevates to the level of a war declaration, by the Sharon government... the Palestinian side is required to use weapons of deterrence that will even the balance of power, at least on the field."
"While the human-bombs [meaning, suicide bombers] may be followed [and maybe stopped by] preventive measures...serious thinking has begun for a while about developing a Palestinian weapon of deterrence. This weapon terrifies the Israeli security apparatuses, from time to time, mainly because obtaining its primary components, whether biological or chemical, is possible without too much effort, let alone the fact that there are hundreds of experts who are capable of handling them and use them as weapons of deterrence, thus creating a balance of horror in the equation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict."
"A few bombs or death-carrying devices will be enough, once they are deployed in secluded areas and directed at the Israeli water resources or the Israeli beaches, let alone the markets and the residential centers. [This will be carried out] without explosions, noise, blood, or pictures that are used to serve the Israeli propaganda. Anyone who is capable, with complete self-control, of turning his body into shrapnel and scattered organs, is also capable of carrying a small device that cannot be traced and throw it in the targeted location."
"What we want to say is that the Israeli security apparatuses take into account such dramatic development in the conflict, although they believe the issue is limited to the possibility of smuggling such weapons from abroad..."
"General Mofaz seeks a political future painted with Palestinian blood...without considering the level of casualties and economic damage that will be caused to the Israeli society, if the Palestinian people and its leadership are cornered."
[1] Al-Manar (PA), August 13, 2001.
Note: The Palestinian Center for Information Sources – Gaza was directed by Jihad Al-Wazir, the son of Abu Jihad [former second in command for YasserArafat and head of PLO’s military forces]. In the past, the Center received American aid. Once the aid was stopped, the Center was passed to the PalestinianJournalists Association, and it is now managed by Deputy Chairman, Taufiq Abu-Khosa, who also wrote the article.
