Palestine and weapons of mass destruction

Last updated

Palestine is not known to currently possess any weapons of mass destruction, and is a party to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, Chemical Weapons Convention, and Biological Weapons Convention. However, since the 1988 Palestinian Declaration of Independence, the territory of Palestine, consisting of the Gaza Strip and West Bank, has been occupied by Israel, a country which is believed to possess nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. [1] As a result, Palestinian representatives have stated Palestine cannot guarantee its compliance to these treaties.

Contents

The Palestinian National Security Forces are internationally recognized as the state's military. However, since 2007, the Gaza Strip has been separately controlled by Hamas. [2] Its military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, attempted to use chemical weapons, via crude additions to improvised explosive devices, in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Nuclear weapons

Diplomacy

Palestine ratified the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 2015. [3] Palestine signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in 2017 and ratified it in 2018. [4] In 2021, under the latter treaty, Palestine submitted a declaration confirming that it does not has never possessed nuclear weapons, and does not host any other state's nuclear weapons. However it noted the status of its entire territory as Israeli-occupied: “the occupying power bears full and sole responsibility for any actions in relation to its unlawful nuclear programme undertaken in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”.

In October 2024, Palestine criticized Israel for refusing to attend UN conferences aimed to establish a Middle East weapons of mass destruction free zone. [5]

Attacks on nuclear sites in Israel

The Al-Qassam Brigades, operating from the Gaza Strip, fired rockets towards the area surrounding the Negev Nuclear Research Center, which houses a nuclear reactor twice in 2012 and once in 2014. The facility was not damaged in any of the attempted strikes. [6] Former Israeli Lt. Col. Jonathan D. Halevi  [ he ] claimed in 2014 that Hamas aimed to target rockets at the Negev reactor, as part of an attack that would cause thousands of Israeli casualties. [7]

Satellite imagery analysis by The New York Times found that the area near the Sdot Micha Airbase, which is believed to store nuclear-capable Jericho missiles, was hit by a rocket likely fired by Hamas militants during the October 7 attacks. It sparked a brush fire but was not believed to damage the missiles, and nuclear warheads were not believed to be present. [8]

Nuclear threats during the Gaza war

During the Gaza war, Israeli and US officials have made statements about nuclear weapons and Gaza characterized as genocidal intent. [9] Israeli security analysts have also argued these statements undermine Israeli nuclear ambiguity. [10] Minister of Heritage Amihai Eliyahu responded "That's one way." to an interviewer's question "Should we drop a nuclear bomb on all of Gaza?". [11] In response, Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki filed a complaint with the International Atomic Energy Agency arguing the statement was "an official recognition that Israel possesses nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction". [12] Eliyahu was reprimanded by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. [9] Likud member of the Knesset Tally Gotliv called for a nuclear-armed Jericho missile "strategic alert" and the use of a "doomsday weapon". [13] [14]

US Republican congressmen Lindsey Graham, Tim Walberg, and Randy Fine were criticized for referring to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to support the Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip. [15] [16] [17]

Some commentators have compared the conventional bombing of Gaza to nuclear bombing in both its explosive energy yield and its effects. [9] [18] A Scientists for Global Responsibility report estimated Israel used 20,000 tons of explosives in the first month of the war. [19] In October 2024, Al Jazeera wrote that 75,000 tons were estimated to be used by Israel since October 2023. [20] A November 2024 UN report found Israeli bombing since the start of the year had exceeded 25,000 tons and compared this to two nuclear weapons. [18] In May 2025, the Gaza government media officed claimed Israel had used 100,000 tons of explosives since October 2023. [21]

Chemical weapons

Palestine ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in 2017. [22]

World War I

In 1917, during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign, the British Egyptian Expeditionary Force fired chemical artillery at forces of the Ottoman Empire, during the Second Battle of Gaza and Third Battle of Gaza. [23]

Use by Hamas

A 2002 US analysis found that Hamas was "at least dabbling in weapons of mass destruction" via crude chemical terrorism, adding insecticides, pesticides, or rat poison to improvised explosive devices. However, it noted difficulty in The analysis argued Hamas would be motivated to mirror Israeli capabilities, noting a 1997 statement by Hamas co-founder Dr. Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi that "Israel should be confronted by the same methods they are using." [24] The Israeli police commissioner at the time, Shlomo Aharonishky  [ he ], claimed that six or seven such attacks had occurred from 1997 to 2001. [25] CIA director George Tenet stated in 2000 that Hamas has pursued a chemical terrorism capability. [24] [26] Former Israeli Lt. Col. Jonathan D. Halevi  [ he ] claimed in 2014 that Hamas aimed to target rockets at chemical plants in Haifa, as part of an attack that would cause thousands of Israeli casualties. [7]

Israeli use of white phosphorus munitions in Gaza

An Israeli white phosphorus munition explodes over Gaza, 2009. White phosphorus in Gaza in 2009.jpg
An Israeli white phosphorus munition explodes over Gaza, 2009.

White phosphorus munitions are typically considered an incendiary weapon or smoke agent, and are not listed under the schedules of substances of the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention. [27] However, in 2005, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) spokesperson stated that white phosphorus munitions are prohibited under the convention if they have been intentionally used for their caustic properties. [28]

In the 2008–2009 Gaza War, various human rights groups reported that Israel used white phosphorus munitions against the populated areas in the Palestinian territory of the Gaza Strip. In July 2009 Israel admitted it had used white phosphorus during the war but not as an anti-personnel weapon. [29]

In the 2014 Gaza War, Human Rights Watch noted that Israel apparently did not use white phosphorus due to previous international criticism. [30]

In October 2023, at the start of the Gaza war, Human Rights watch verified that Israel used white phosphorus in Gaza City. [31] On 1 December 2023, Palestine gave a statement to the OPCW, calling for an investigation into Israeli white phosphorus use in Gaza as a violation of the CWC, and criticizing Israel for benefitting from its status as a CWC signatory while refusing to ratify the treaty. [32]

Cultural impact

Israeli use of white phosphorus has been an influence in Palestinian art, including cinema, [33] drawings, [34] and poems, [35] as well as international artwork, such as an exhibition by Forensic Architecture. [36] [37]

Biological weapons

Palestine ratified the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in 2018. [38] In 2025, Palestine cited its occupation as preventing full BWC compliance. In a statement to a UN working group on strengthening the convention, its mission wrote "we cannot guarantee whether any biological weapons, agents, or facilities exist or are produced on our land, including in illegal settlements, nor can we ensure effective customs control over such agents or their potential use by armed settlers." [39]

During the 1948 Palestine War, Israel carried out biological warfare in Operation Cast Thy Bread, targeting Palestinian Arabs with typhoid. [40]

Radiological weapons

President of Palestine Yasser Arafat died in 2004. His cause of death remains the subject of speculation. Investigations by Russian and French teams determined no foul play was involved, [41] [42] [43] while a Swiss team determined he was radiologically poisoned by polonium. [44] [45]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Cohe, Avner (2001-09-01). "Israel and chemical/biological weapons: History, deterrence, and arms control". The Nonproliferation Review. 8 (3): 27–53. doi:10.1080/10736700108436862. ISSN   1073-6700.
  2. ↑ Dunning, Tristan (2016). Hamas, Jihad and Popular Legitimacy: Reinterpreting Resistance in Palestine. Routledge. p. 212. ISBN   978-1-317-38495-3. Archived from the original on 2 November 2022. Since taking sole control of Gaza in June 2007, Hamas has proven itself to be a remarkably resilient and resourceful government entity. The movement has clearly entrenched itself as the hegemonic power in the coastal enclave to such an extent that the International Crisis Group contends that the power struggle in Gaza is no longer between Hamas and Fatah. Rather the main source of confrontation is between Hamas and other more hardline Islamists and salafists. . . Hamas has been far more successful in an administrative sense than the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, despite having access to only a fraction of the resources.
  3. ↑ "UNODA Treaties Database". treaties.unoda.org. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  4. ↑ "United Nations Treaty Collection". treaties.un.org. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  5. ↑ "Nuclear Weapons Ban Monitor". Nuclear Weapons Ban Monitor. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  6. ↑ "Israel stops rocket from hitting Dimona nuclear facility". Israel News. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  7. 1 2 Halevi, Jonathan D. (4 August 2014). "The Hamas Threat to the West Is No Different from ISIS". Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs. Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  8. ↑ "Militant Rocket Hit Base Linked to Israeli Nuclear Missile Program (Published 2023)". 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  9. 1 2 3 "Commentary: Nuclear weapons, Israel and Gaza". ICAN. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  10. ↑ Melman, Yossi (2024-02-28). "Israeli Calls to 'Nuke Gaza' Are Undermining the Nuclear Ambiguity Doctrine". Haaretz.com. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  11. ↑ "Application instituting proceedings and request for the indication of provisional measures | INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE". www.icj-cij.org. Archived from the original on 2024-01-05. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  12. ↑ "Palestine complains to IAEA about Israel's threat to drop nuclear bomb on Gaza". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  13. ↑ "x.com". X (formerly Twitter). Archived from the original on 2024-12-09. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  14. ↑ "Israeli official calls for "doomsday" nuclear missile option". Newsweek. 2023-10-10. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  15. ↑ Vargas, Ramon Antonio (2024-03-31). "Congressman rebuked for call to bomb Gaza 'like Nagasaki and Hiroshima'". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  16. ↑ "Talk of Nuclear Use in Gaza Draws Backlash". Arms Control Association. 2024-06-01. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  17. ↑ "CAIR Urges Congress to Condemn Rep. Randy Fine's Call to 'Nuke Gaza,' Cites Escalating Pattern of Genocidal and Anti-American Rhetoric" . Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  18. 1 2 "Fourth Committee Highlights Continuing Destruction in Gaza, Heightened Settler Violence, Emphasizing Need for Ceasefire, End to Illegal Occupation | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". press.un.org. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  19. ↑ "Gaza: one of the most intense bombardments in history?". Scientists for Global Responsibility. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  20. ↑ Chughtai, Alia. "Israel has killed 1 out of every 55 people in Gaza". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  21. ↑ "Israel dropped 100,000 tons of explosives over Gaza, wiped out 2,200 families: Media office". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  22. ↑ "Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction". United Nations Treaty Collection. 2018-01-03. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  23. ↑ Sheffy, Yigal (2009). "Chemical Warfare and the Palestine Campaign, 1916-1918". The Journal of Military History. 73 (3): 803–844. ISSN   1543-7795.
  24. 1 2 Ackerman, Gary; Snyder, Laura (2002-05-01). "Would they if they could?". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. 58 (3): 40–47. doi:10.2968/058003010. ISSN   0096-3402.
  25. ↑ "Toxic Traces After Bombing Add to Jitters Of Israelis". Archived from the original on 2015-05-27. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  26. ↑ Hamas's Tactics: Lessons from Recent Attacks, By Jamie Chosak and Julie Sawyer. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. October 19, 2005
  27. ↑ "What is white phosphorus, and what does it mean that Russia may be using it in Ukraine? - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 2022-03-25. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  28. ↑ Monbiot, George (2005-11-22). "Behind the phosphorus clouds are war crimes within war crimes". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  29. ↑ "The Operation in Gaza, 27 December 2008–18 January 2009 Factual and Legal Aspects" (PDF). Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 29 July 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 August 2009. Retrieved 4 October 2009.
  30. ↑ "Incendiary Weapons: Recent Use and Growing Opposition | Human Rights Watch". 2014-11-10. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  31. ↑ "Israel: White Phosphorus Used in Gaza, Lebanon | Human Rights Watch". 2023-10-12. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  32. ↑ "Wayback Machine" (PDF). www.opcw.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2025-01-14. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  33. ↑ Yaqub, Nadia, ed. (2023-08-02). Gaza on Screen. Duke University Press. p. 86. doi:10.1215/9781478024576. ISBN   978-1-4780-9360-2.
  34. ↑ "White Phosphorus for the Birth of Elia". White Phosphorus for the Birth of Elia. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  35. ↑ "Residential Block: An exhibition by Rafat Asad | The Palestinian Museum". palmuseum.org. 2024-06-01. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  36. ↑ Gayle, Damien (2021-08-16). "Artists pull work from Whitworth gallery after Palestine statement removal". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  37. ↑ "Forensic Architecture". forensic-architecture.org. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  38. ↑ "Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction". 2018-01-03.
  39. ↑ Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations (11 August 2025). "Statement by the State of Palestine, Sixth Session of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention" (PDF). Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  40. ↑ AderetFollow, Ofer (2022-10-14). "Israel News". Haaretz. Retrieved 2025-11-05.
  41. ↑ "Yasser Arafat: French rule out foul play in former Palestinian leader's death". The Guardian. 16 March 2015.
  42. ↑ "France drops investigation into Arafat's death". The Jerusalem Post. Reuters. 2 September 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  43. ↑ "Yasser Arafat investigation: Russian probe finds death not caused by radiation". CBS News. 26 December 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  44. ↑ Tait, Robert (8 November 2013). "Arafat's body loaded with polonium, say scientists". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  45. ↑ Poort, David; Silverstein, Ken (6 November 2013). "Swiss study: Polonium found in Arafat's bones". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.