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Source: Palestine Monitor

Israeli Military’s New Weapon Causes Alarming Risks to Health of Peaceful Protestors

GAS..........no comments (ndlr)

Wednesday 25 June 2008

In recent protests against the Wall in the villages of Bil’in and Ni’lin, Israeli Occupation Forces have stepped up the use of violence against peaceful protests in the unveiling of a new tear gas weapon.

Three weeks ago, Israel first used a battery that is capable of launching 30 tear gas canisters at one time, an amount that covers the entire hillside of Ni’lin in the agent. Along with the copious amounts of gas, Israeli soldiers fired live ammunition and rubber bullets into the crowd of peaceful demonstrators, injuring 17 Palestinians and 1 international.

Tear gas has always been a controversial tactic used to disperse protests. Proponents of its use say that it is one of the most effective and least harmful ‘less-than-lethal’ tactics, certainly less lethal than the rubber bullets Israeli forces commonly use to break up peaceful protests.
But there are those who are more doubtful of its safety.
A single tear gas canister aerosols a cloud of powdered agent between 6 and 9 meters in diameter. The agent causes severe irritation of the eyes, skin and throat, causing intense watering, burning, coughing, vomiting and difficulty breathing. Studies have shown that when detonated under the proper guidelines, a single canister does not produce a lethal concentration.

However, chemical weapons such as tear gas have fickle ways. Commonly, tear gas is used in amounts that are deemed unsafe and it is often detonated inside cars or buildings. In enclosed areas, concentrations become much higher and linger for much longer than when detonated outside, where the wind can quickly disburse the cloud. A study from the Journal of the American Medical Association says that the biggest danger of tear gas is its misuse, as in usage in buildings or in unsafe amounts.

There are several ramifications to the Israeli military’s use of its new weapon. First, concentrations of the gas inside the cloud can become much higher than what is deemed “safe.” Second, since tear gas is a particle, not a gas, the particle can linger in the environment, such as in olive groves and water sources, with longer-term implications for health; this becomes an important consideration when tear gas is used in such huge amounts. Third, the demonstrators caught in the middle of a cloud have to attempt to run out; exposure becomes prolonged and people are put in danger by trying to run without being able to see due to exposure.

Some of the long-term effects at normal concentrations include eye damage and chemically-induced pneumonia. However, at high concentration, recorded effects include pulmonary edema, heart failure, liver damage, and death. The agent is proven to be carcinogenic and mutagenic, having the potential to cause birth defects. After the gas is metabolized it becomes cyanide in tissues. Since the chemical is a fine powder, it can linger in the soil and environment and on the skin and clothing of those exposed.

Many nations have laws that govern the use of tear gas. These laws govern such issues as the firing of canisters at crowds or the amount of gas used. At demonstrations in Bil’in, Ni’lin and elsewhere, Israeli forces have fired canisters directly into crowds of people from 20 meters away causing significant injury. In some cases they have even gone so far as to target specific individuals, a tactic that is very dangerous.

Rumors abound among non-violent demonstration veterans that the gas has gotten more potent over the past few years. Protestors also claim that the gas launched from the battery is stronger than the grenades used by Israeli forces. Many also report nausea after inhaling the gas, which would indicate a new ingredient in the mixture.

Dr. Mohammad Iskafi, Head of Emergency Services at the Palestinian Medical Relief Society comments: “Tear gas affects a person in three ways. First, tear gas affects the nervous system because it keeps the blood from bringing oxygen to the brain. This leads to dizziness, drowsiness and vertigo. Second, the gas causes the eye to water, burn and itch. Third, when inhaled, the gas causes coughing, nasal discharge and difficulty breathing. In the field, we have even seen seizures, indicating a dosage that is too high.”

With the new launchers and specific targeting of individuals, Israel has violated the guidelines other nations use to govern the use of tear gas, responded violently to those who come in peace, and created situations that are harmful to peaceful protestors.