Qalandiya
According to Wikipedia: “Since 1969 ‘tear gas’ has been included in the category of ‘chemical weapons’ prohibited for military use by the Geneva Convention, and its use is permitted only for policing to preserve order.”
The truth is, with respect to the phrase “to preserve order,” until tear gas was fired the structured disorder of this location was in fact a kind of order that had been preserved fairly well, and what disrupted the order was the sound of explosions, the shouts of غاز, غاز and the panicky flight of people when the white gas cloud enveloped them, spread and and burned and choked and made their eyes water.
Wikipedia also states:
“Tear gas is any gas or aerosol which causes temporary psychological stress by irritating the eyes or the respiratory system. The gas irritates the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, mouth and lungs. It causes crying, sneezing, eye pains, temporary blindness, and hinders breathing.
“Even though it is widely used and is generally considered a safe, non-lethal means of dispersing demonstrations, inhalation is very dangerous (and may even be lethal) for people suffering from respiratory illness (like asthma), and has serious consequences for pregnant women. Evidence also exists of serious lung damage to healthy people, and even death, as a result of inhaling large quantities of the material.”
The photographs were taken at one-second intervals, from the same spot.
