Wednesday, June 08, 2005

Kibbutz Residents Blame Army For Cancer

Israelis living in Kibbutz Na’an and other communities in the Rehovot area are more than unhappy with an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) antenna complex located nearby. And they are taking some action.

This morning they blocked the entrance to the communications base. In addition studies in the kibbutz elementary school have been halted and will not resume, according to Haaretz, until, “…the Defense Ministry orders the removal of the antennae from the base.”

Why is this going on?

Residents fear that radiation coming from the antennae is the cause of many cases of cancer in the surrounding region which have popped up in recent years.

Kibbutz Na'an, near Rehovot, is home to some 1,000 people. Toward the end of last year, area residents began to suspect that the reason for the high incidence of cancer there was the antenna installation. They approached the Defense Ministry with questions about the level of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the antennas, and were told the site posed no danger to them. The residents, however, were not satisfied, and called in experts to check radiation levels emitted from the site.

Professor Eliyahu Richter from the Hebrew University was one of those called in to investigate the situation. His findings only further disturbed residents from the area. His report on the radiation emitted by the Defense Ministry antennas next to Kibbutz Na'an reveals they are the source of very high and dangerous levels of radio frequency-microwave radiation (50 times higher than the accepted standard). According to Israel Insider the report recommends taking immediate steps to reduce the amount of radiation from the antennas, since based on "the greater risk of cancer."

The Defense Ministry says it is investigating the complaints. Sources: My Rehovot, Haaretz, Israel Insider, Arutz Sheva

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