OVERVIEW:
Israel's Use of Chemical Weapons

Most nerve gases are difficult to detect upon initial exposure. Tabun and soman emit a mild, 'fruity' odor, while sarin is odorless. When dispersed as a vapor, nerve "gases" enter the body largely through inhalation and contact with eyes and skin. They are non-irritating on contact and the onset of symptoms can be delayed for several minutes or longer, depending on the severity of exposure and the gas(es) used. Therefore, nerve gas victims may not be aware of the presence of a toxic agent during their poisoning. (2)

Comments made by Palestinians in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, about the gas used during February, 2001:

"It's harmless - this gas is nothing!"
"..we didn’t think it was poisonous. We thought it was smoke."
"A gas we’ve never seen before…without an odor, without anything...not like the usual teargas. It doesn’t make you tear up or irritate your mucus membranes.." (3)

While the symptoms reported in Khan Younis are similar to those of nerve gas poisoning, some of the symptoms reported from other poison gas attacks may not be consistent with known nerve gases.

For example, pupils of victims of the June 10, 2004 attack at Az Zawiya (see page 10) were reportedly "dilated" (4) or "enlarged" (5), while one of the cardinal signs of nerve gas poisoning is miosis, or constricted, pin-point pupils (6).

Reports of poison gas used by Israeli troops typically describe canisters emitting a "smoking gas" that is usually black or white and sometimes changes colors. Israeli soldiers also occasionally deploy inert "smoke bombs" as 'defensive screens'. These canisters often billow black 'smoke' but are also available in various colors. During an attack it may be impossible to determine whether Israeli soldiers are using inert 'smoke' or a poisonous gas mixed with 'smoke'. Tear gas may also be used at the same time.

Despite this uncertainty, it appears that the safest course of action for people exposed to an apparently harmless, non-irritating 'smoke' deployed by Israeli forces is to stop breathing and leave the attack area immediately.

* Cholinergic overstimulation: Typically manifested as extreme hyperactivity, tics, fasiculations, spasms, muscle rigidity, hysteria, and convulsions.

1. CBRNE - Nerve Agents, V-series: Ve, Vg, Vm, Vx, by Fernando L Benitez, MD and Larissa I Velez-Daubon, MD, eMedicine Journal, January 11 2002
http://emedicine.com/emerg/topic899.htm

2. Nerve Agents, G-series: Tabun, Sarin, Soman : Article Excerpt by: Jeffrey L Arnold, MD, FACEP, FAAEM, eMedicine Web site
http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/byname/cbrne---nerve-agents-g-series--tabun-sarin-soman.htm

3. Selected Interviews recorded for the documentary film Gaza Strip by James Longley, transcripts: Regarding the use of an unidentified gas by the Israeli Defense Forces During the week of February 12, 2001, In the Khan Younis Refugee Camp http://www.littleredbutton.com/gas_interviews/interviews.pdf

4. One Israeli, one Palestinian arrested and 40 wounded in anti-wall protest, International Middle East Media Center, 6/14/2004
http://www.imemc.org/headlines/2004/june/week2/061404/al-zawiya-protest.htm

5. Palestinians: Israel is using "sinister chemical gases" to disperse demonstrators, Palestinian Information Center (Hamas UK), June 25, 2004
http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/am/publish/article_6269.shtml

6) Long-Term Health Effects of Nerve Agents and Mustard, Chapter 8, Frederick R. Sidell, M.D. and Charles G. Hurst, M.D. http://www.nbc-med.org/SiteContent/HomePage/WhatsNew/MedAspects/Ch-8electrv699.pdf