U.S. Company Wants ‘reassurances’ Before Israel Buys More Tear Gas

A Los Angeles company whose tear gas has been used by Israel to quell the Palestinian uprising in the administered territories will not sign future contracts until it gains “reassurances” that the Israel Defense Force is using it properly.

The IDF, in a statement provided by the Israeli Embassy here, denied any improper use of the gas and maintained that “no instance of death” in the territories has been caused by tear gas.

Sheila Klein, vice president for human resources in the Trans Technology Corporation’s Ordinance Systems group, acknowledged Friday a “concerted effort” from various sources, including the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), to tell her company that the Israelis may not be using the tear gas in keeping with company regulations.

She said that Arch Scurlock, chairman of the board, decided April 29 to seek reassurances in future negotiations with the Israeli government that the tear gas is not causing deaths to Palestinians.

Klein said when Scurlock made the decision, the company had fulfilled the terms of all of its tear gas contracts with Israel. Trans Technology Corp. sells tear gas to 57 countries.

Klein added that if Israel should seek another contract, the company would want to know whether any death attributed to improper use of tear gas was “isolated or something of that sort.” She said that while the company has investigated the charges, it has not yet ascertained whether the tear gas led to any injuries or death.

The IDF said in a statement that it has been “conclusively proven in many reports” that tear gas “has no detrimental impact on healthy persons exposed to it.”