Israel may use chemical weapons in Gaza, Algeria warns

Algeria has alerted the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) that Israel may resort to using chemical weapons against Gaza given its insistence on violating international law.

Salima Abdelhak, Algeria’s permanent representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, issued the warning on Saturday at the 105th session of the Executive Council held in The Hague.

This came after Algeria was chosen as the African region ambassador to assume the position of vice president of the Organization’s Executive Council for a one-year term starting on May 12, 2024.

Abdelhak said Algeria is concerned about the Palestinian tragedy and condemns Israeli atrocities against the Palestinian people in blatant violation of international law.

She also warned of the potential resurgence of chemical weapons and the risk of their deployment by non-state entities, particularly amidst ongoing armed conflicts across the globe.

There is a risk that the occupying power “may resort to the use of chemical weapons in its war against the Palestinians, given that the Zionist occupation is not a party to the Chemical Weapons Convention and is not bound by its provisions,” the ambassador added.

Abdelhak went on to say that the “tragic and catastrophic” situation in Gaza underscores the importance of the OPCW persisting in its mission to uphold the Chemical Weapons Convention and ensure all countries adhere to its regulations.

She said Algeria supports the request for assistance submitted by the State of Palestine to the Technical Secretariat related to opening an investigation into the use of this type of weapon in Palestine, calling on the Technical Secretariat to provide member states with regular updates about the outcomes of these investigations.

She further noted that the increasing threat of chemical terrorism is becoming more concerning as tensions escalate in various regions, providing opportunities for terrorist organizations to engage.

This danger is further exacerbated by advancements in technology, particularly artificial intelligence, which could potentially grant access to the production and enhancement methods of chemical weapons, Abdelhak added.

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The Algerian envoy further called for enhancing international cooperation based on the directives of the Fifth Review Conference and the efforts of the Working Group on Terrorism, as well as enforcing the measures outlined in Article 10 of the Convention to prevent and protect against these threats.

Last month, Algeria had passed an initial draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, a move the United States vetoed.

Since the start of the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has killed 30,960 Palestinians and injured 72,402 others.

The Israeli regime has also imposed a “complete siege” on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.

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