What you are seeing is synthetic sewage being sprayed all over a Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem by Israeli occupation forces. The Israelis have a name for this noxious chemical mixture: "skunk." Skunk was originally marketed as a crowd control weapon, but (like all things) Israel quickly began using it as a weapon of collective punishment. Skunk is produced by the Israeli company Odortec and Israel sells it to militaries and police forces around the world.

In addition to the skunk cannon you see mounted on this armored vehicle, skunk is also used in a hand-held spray (similar to pepper spray canisters) as well as a throwable "grenade."

From this BBC article: It is a truly putrid stench. Palestinians who have been sprayed describe it as "worse than raw sewage" and "like a mixture of excrement, noxious gas and a decomposing donkey".

Context

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) sent a letter to the Chief of Israel Police objecting to the widespread use of "skunk spray" by Israeli forces in East Jerusalem. ("Ending the Use of Skunk Spray in East Jerusalem" (ACRI, November 2014)

The skunk spray is a riot-control method that disperses a foul-smelling liquid but is reportedly being used in densely populated residential areas, affecting uninvolved civilians.

Key Points

Disproportionate Use: Skunk spray is being used beyond its intended purpose, in narrow residential areas, causing widespread harm to civilians, including children, the elderly, and the sick.

Health and Property Damage: The spray causes nausea, vomiting, breathing issues, and lingering stench for days, making homes uninhabitable. It also damages businesses and property.

Violation of Police Protocols: Its use in East Jerusalem violates police guidelines, which restrict it to open areas and prohibit spraying near vulnerable populations or elevated areas.

Collective Punishment: The practice is described as collective punishment, harming entire communities regardless of involvement in disturbances.

Ineffective for Crowd Control: The method is inefficient in narrow streets; it often misses alleged rioters and mainly affects residences and businesses.

Call to Cease Use: ACRI urges the immediate end to the use of skunk spray in crowded urban areas, citing its disproportionate harm and violation of legal standards.