Army planning to use non-lethal stun shells
JERUSALEM – The Israeli army is to begin using non-lethal shells in its tanks, a defense official said Monday, three months after conventional tank fire killed eight Palestinian demonstrators in the Gaza Strip.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the new “stun shells” would disintegrate in the air, generating a huge noise in an effort to disperse crowds.
Made of fiberglass, the shells are produced by state-owned Israel Military Industries, and are to be in use within several months.
A company spokesman said the stun shells were unique to Israel. Police and soldiers have long used smaller stun grenades to disperse riots.
On May 19, eight Palestinians were killed by Israeli tank fire while demonstrating against an Israeli military operation in the southern Gaza town of Rafah.
The Israeli army opened an inquiry after the incident.
Many of the casualties were children, and pictures of their bloodied bodies added to angry reaction around the world, along with reports of overwhelmed doctors treating dozens of wounded on blood-drenched hospital floors.
Israel apologized for the deaths, saying its troops did not deliberately fire on marchers. It blamed Palestinians for allowing gunmen to mix with the crowd.
On Sunday, an Israeli bus exploded in a Jerusalem neighborhood, but officials said the blast had been caused by a mechanical problem. There were no injuries.
– Associated Press