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DATE=12/18/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-243247
TITLE=ISRAEL / IRAQ  (L)
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=JERUSALEM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER YITZHAK MORDECHAI SAYS HIS 
COUNTRY WOULD TAKE ALL NECESSARY MEASURES IF IRAQ STRUCK OUT 
AGAINST ISRAEL AS IT DID IN THE GULF WAR IN 1991.  V-O-A'S DAVID 
GOLLUST IN JERUSALEM REPORTS ISRAELIS CONSIDER A REPEAT ATTACK BY
IRAQ UNLIKELY BUT ARE TAKING PRECAUTIONS. 
TEXT:  MR. MORDECHAI SAYS ISRAEL WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE U-S AND 
BRITISH OPERATION AGAINST IRAQ ACHIEVE ITS GOALS.  BUT HE SAYS 
ISRAEL HAS NO INTEREST -- DIRECT OR INDIRECT -- IN BECOMING 
INVOLVED IN THE CONFLICT.
AT THE SAME TIME, IN AN ISRAEL RADIO INTERVIEW, MR. MORDECHAI 
SAID ISRAEL WOULD TAKE ALL NECESSARY MEASURES IF ANYONE, AS HE 
PUT IT, WOULD DARE TO HIT US.
IRAQ FIRED 39 SCUD MISSILES AT ISRAEL IN THE 1991 GULF CONFLICT. 
BUT UNDER U-S PRESSURE TO SHOW RESTRAINT, ISRAEL DID   NOT    
RETALIATE.
ISRAELI EXPERTS BELIEVE THE CHANCES OF ATTACK THIS TIME ARE SLIM.
BUT THEY SAY BUT THAT SADDAM HUSSEIN MIGHT TRY TO FIRE MISSILES 
WITH CHEMICAL OR GERM WARHEADS IF HE WAS DESPERATE OR FACING 
DEATH.
ADVANCED U-S PATRIOT AIR DEFENSE MISSILES THAT WERE IN ISRAEL FOR
A JOINT TRAINING EXERCISE HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED AS A PRECAUTION NEAR
TEL AVIV AND HAIFA.
AN EARLIER VERSION OF THE MISSILE PERFORMED POORLY DURING THE 
GULF WAR.  AND RESERVE GENERAL GENERAL AVIAHU BIN-NUNN, WHO WAS 
ISRAEL'S AIR FORCE COMMANDER AT THE TIME, SAYS THE SYSTEM IS 
STILL  NOT  COMPLETELY EFFECTIVE:
                  ///  BIN-NUNN ACTUALITY  ///
         PATRIOTS ARE NOT THE COMPLETE ANSWER.  THEY  CANNOT  
         FILL THE SKIES WITH A 100 PERCENT SOLUTION.  AND 
         BRINGING THEM AND DEPLOYING THEM IS MORE A PSYCHOLOGICAL
         ACT THAN A REAL DEFENSE AGAINST ENEMY MISSILES, 
         ESPECIALLY WHEN I BELIEVE THERE  WON'T BE ANY MISSILES 
         COMING TOWARD ISRAEL. 
                        ///  END ACT ///
ISRAEL HAS ALSO FLOWN IN CHEMICAL AGENT DETECTING EQUIPMENT FROM 
THE UNITED STATES AND HAS OPENED GAS-MASK DISTRIBUTION CENTERS 
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
IN THE PALESTINIAN CONTROLLED WEST BANK AND GAZA, THERE WAS A 
SECOND DAY OF DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST THE U-S LED ATTACKS ON IRAQ.
BUT YASSER ARAFAT'S PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY -- TRYING TO PRESERVE 
ITS IMPROVED RELATIONS WITH WASHINGTON -- SOUGHT TO CONTAIN THE 
PROTESTS AND PREVENT CLASHES BETWEEN MARCHERS AND ISRAELI 
SECURITY FORCES.
THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY SHUT DOWN TWO LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS
AND A RADIO STATIONS IN RAMALLAH WHICH HAD GIVEN HEAVY COVERAGE 
TO ANTI-U-S PROTESTS BY PALESTINIANS THURSDAY. (SIGNED)
NEB/DAG/JWH
18-Dec-98 11:53 AM EST (1653 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.