Yasser Arafat: Israel Used Depleted Uranium to Cause Cancer and Infertility

Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat was interviewed by Lebanese New TV. The following are excerpts:

Arafat: I ask the entire world if this is acceptable internationally. For instance, is the world aware of the fact that the Israeli army uses against the Palestinian people substances that are forbidden by international law, such as depleted uranium? Are you aware of this? Have you heard of this?

Interviewer: Yes.

Arafat: This is the report of the American delegation and the European delegation from Holland, that revealed what we told the Quartet about the use of depleted uranium, which is forbidden by international law, against the Palestinian people. I will send you this report through your colleagues who are here with me, but here is the official American report that shows that they have revealed the use of depleted uranium against the Palestinian people. As a result, there has been an increase in cancer and barrenness, which has also become a widespread phenomenon among many young married couples.

Interivewer Abu Ammar, have these findings...

Arafat I would like to ask a question through you. They entered Iraq on the pretext that there was uranium there...

Interviewer: - Weapons of mass destruction...

So why are they silent when depleted uranium is used against the Palestinian people?

The use of armed violence is from both sides.

Iterviewer: Yes.

Arafat: From both the Israeli side and from the Palestinian side. They think that when we defend ourselves... They call it violent activity.. When any nation in the world defends itself, is that considered an act of violence? Self-defense is recognized (as a right) in all international laws. We are under occupation. We are defending ourselves from this occupation that kills our children, our women, our men, and destroys our infrastructure, our lands, our cities, our villages, and our camps. Isn't it clear that what's being done to us and to our holy places, both Christian and Muslim... I would like to ask you a question: have you seen the statue of Our Lady Mary?

Interviewer: Yes.

Arafat It was destroyed. I would like to ask you a question: when the Taliban in Afghanistan damaged the statue of Buddha, what did the world do?

Interviewer: Condemnation.

Arafat:

The statue of Our Lady has been damaged, yet there has been no outcry from the world. What would you call this?