The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported on Friday, that the Israeli Authorities re-operated the X-ray search machine chamber at the Rafah Boder Crossing, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, which endangers the health of the residents, especially the sick and elderly.
Dr. Moawiya Hassanen, head of the Emergency Unit at the Palestinian Ministry of Health, said that the device uses X-Ray which is very harmful to the fibers and cells of the human body, which is considered a direct violation to the international laws and regulations.
Dr. Hassanen appealed the World Health Organization (WHO), and humanitarian organizations to interfere and bar Israel from using the X-Ray search machine.
After Israel started operating the X-Ray machine late April 2005, the Palestinian Authority shut down the Rafah Crossing for several hours in protest to operating it.
“The move is basically to protest Israel’s use of an X-ray chamber that gives off high radiation during security checks of Palestiniansâ€Â, a Palestinian source reported.
The Rafah border crossing is the only link to the world for Gaza residents. Only Gaza residents, with the exception of some internationals who willingly do it, use this crossing. All travelers have to go through this device which was set up March 2005.
From the Gaza side, the crossing is run by Palestinians and Israelis, but Israeli officers have the last say in everything there, including who can go through or can not, and when the crossing will be closed or opened.
The Palestinian Authority repeatedly asked Israel to stop using the chamber, but travelers are still passing through the device, said Salim Abu Safia, the Palestinian director general of border terminals, on April 26.
‘We received Israeli promises that the chamber would be dismantled†Abu Safia said, however, we have become tired of the Israeli procrastination policy, so we threatened to shut the terminal downâ€Â.
Orly Maman, a spokeswoman for the Israeli Ports Authority, said police instructed the authority to use the X-ray machine, which she said received all the necessary permits.
April 29, 2005, an elderly woman died immediately after she went through the X-ray search machine placed on the Rafah crossing to Egypt by the Israeli security.
Fatima Abu Obeid 65, died immediately after she walked out of the checking room. She had heart problems and high blood pressure.
Medical sources In Rafah reported that examinations indicated that Abu Obeid died because of a failure in her blood circulation resulting from the radiation.
The Palestinian Authority has requested Israel to remove this device from the Rafah crossing for its harmful effects, however, Israel insists that the device is not harmful and claimed that it is available in all border points and airports.
