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The
Environmental Impact on the Occupied Palestinian Territories
A
strong organic relationship develops between a land and its people generation
after generation. The respect for and the understanding of their ecosystem shape
their lives. When respected, the environment is the source of well-being, but
when abused it becomes the source of ill health and discord.
Palestine
once covered 26,320km² of land and 704km² of inland water. There were rolling
woodlands covered with thickets, forests and grasslands (Jad, p.1). The 1948 war
displaced 900,000 Palestinians, witnessed a massive influx of refugees into a
fragile ecosystem and began the destruction of over 419 Palestinian villages
(Palestine-net, p.1-14). By the time of the 1967 Israeli occupation, Gaza was on
the brink of a water crisis with frequent outbreaks of waterborne diseases and
increased soil alkalinity and salinity (Kimberley, p.1, 2). Palestine is now two
separate landmasses - the West Bank and the Gaza Strip including the Dead Sea,
covering a surface of 6,210km² (Jad, p.1). Barren hills have replaced woodlands
and deserts have replaced grasslands.
Because
of the Israeli occupation, expansion and increased construction projects,
Palestine now suffers from a weakened agricultural system, wastewater, solid
waste pollution problems and water security issues.
Agricultural
System Weaknesses
Agriculture
today accounts for less than 3% of industrialized Israel’s GDP, but it is
crucial to the Palestinian economy (Sher, p.3). During the Intifada (Palestinian
uprising), Israeli forces uprooted acres of olive trees, grapevines, palm trees,
almonds, oranges, figs, strawberries, guava and bananas (Kimberley, p.2).
Documented cases of cleared land by the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture
report that 271,797 trees have been uprooted (Jad, p.25). Palestinians have no
sovereignty and limited access to the region’s natural resources.
In
addition, most Israeli settlements are built on confiscated Palestinian
agricultural or communal grazing lands. Closed military areas, mainly in the
Jordan Valley, are located on such land in the West Bank. The overgrazed land
available is under the threat of permanent desertification.
Dr.
Julie Trottier of the Belgian Universite Catholique de Louvain pointed out that
Palestinians only have control of 18% of the available water and that 65% of
that small allowance actually goes towards irrigation under the control of
villagers who have regulated their water resources for centuries with tight
social control (Kelly, p.3). The policy of “closure” has prevented farmers
from reaching the markets, making food in the market more expensive. When they
are able to sell their produce they are forced to sell it for a much lower price
(Jad, p.4 – 10). For many other farmers, their land has been taken, and in
some cases torched.
Wastewater
Pollution
Many
Palestinians are not linked to a sewage system. The wastewater from many Israeli
settlements is collected and discharged into nearby valleys without treatment,
affecting nearby Palestinian communities like Wadi Qana, Nahalin, al-Khader
al-Jani, al-Walajeh, Dura and Bani Na’im. In Nahalin, Bethlehem, for example,
they are exposed to the farm effluents from the nearby Rush Tsorim settlement.
Some
Israeli settlements in the West Bank are primarily used for cattle and
livestock, however, the manure from these farms is dumped in Palestinian valleys
and on agricultural lands, destroying soil structure and polluting valuable
water resources. This leaves a rampant breeding ground for disease. Wastewater
from the Ara’el settlement in the Salfiet District flows into a dry creak that
is less than four meters from Salfiet’s drinking water well. This affects both
Israeli’s and Palestinians. The agricultural village of Beit Omar lies between
two mountains, with Israeli settlements Gush Etzion and Karame Zur at either
ends of the valley. The settlement of Etzion is built on Beit Omar agricultural
land. Every October Etzion’s untreated wastewater flows into the valley onto
the agricultural lands of Beit Omar at harvest time.
Last
year 30% - 35% of the agricultural land was severely damaged by wastewater,
affecting 400 tons of fruit and the income of the 5,000 inhabitants of Beit
Omar. Last February, Israel discharged 3.5mn m³ of wastewater mixed with
rainwater into the Gaza Strips northern towns (Jad, p.20-22).
Solid
Waste Pollution
Responding
to the Israeli court order in 1982, Israel moved its polluting industries out of
Israel because of the environmental impact on land, public health and
agriculture. They were then moved to the 1967 borders or inside settlements -
damaging citrus trees and polluting the soil and groundwater in the area. Israel
created seven industrial zones on the West Bank covering 302 hectares mainly on
hilltops. Consequentially, industrial wastewater flows onto adjacent Palestinian
lands. In the Barqan Industrial Zone, there is aluminum production, fiberglass,
electroplating, surface coating, waste oil recycling, metal fabrication and
military industries. Solid waste is often collected and dumped in or near the
Palestinian villages of Sarta, Kufr a-Deek and Bruqeen. Chemical analysis
reveals elevated concentrations of heavy metals and organic solvents. Landfills
are an established means of getting rid of waste. The European Investment Bank
funded work on the Hebron – Bethlehem joint landfill project as a solution.
However, workers and materials were prevented from reaching the site (Jad,
p.24).
Water
Security Issues
This
has been an on-going issue, seemingly with no end. The annual flow of the Jordan
River was 1250mcm annually in 1953 but is now down to 152 – 203mcm and along
with underground aquifers is the main source of water for all riparians: Jordan,
Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Israel. Israel controls the headwaters of the
river and diverts it through national water carriers to irrigate the Negev (Jad,
p.18).
The
Palestinian use of the River Jordan before 1967 was through 140 pumping units
that have been destroyed or confiscated by the Israeli authorities (Sher, p.1,
2). The Palestinian entitlement to water includes the underground water of the
West Bank and Gaza aquifers and a rightful share as riparians to the Jordan
River. Israel uses the Western Aquifer System on the West Bank via 300 deep
underground wells. Palestinians are limited to 22mcm annually. The Gaza Aquifer
supplies 2,200 wells. Its annual safe yield is 55mcm, but is over-pumped at
110mcm. This lowers the water table below sea level causing saline water
intrusion from the saline strata, seawater and return flows from intensive
irrigation. In total 246mcm of water supplies three million Palestinians for
domestic, industrial and agricultural needs compared to 1959mcm of water for six
million Israelis. From the N.E Aquifer System on the West Bank, Palestinians
receive 42mcm, whereas Israel receives 103 mcm annually (Jad p.16-19).
At
the 7th International Conference of the Israeli Society for Ecology and
Environmental Quality Sciences in 1999, scientist David Scarpa of Bethlehem
University collected samples from 70 springs revealing a contamination with
bacteria that was dangerously concentrated in some instances with chemical
pollutants. He commented, “drinking water from all sources – springs,
rain-fed cisterns and networks – have been reduced to levels that represent a
danger to health.” There was an increase in amoebic dysentery in most
villages. Dr. Scarpa proposed that the springs and rain-fed cisterns be brought
under Palestinian control to be upgraded and properly maintained. Undermining
situations even further, Dr. Julie Trottier of Belgium highlighted that
international donors, who pay for the pipelines, wells and water networks are
contributing to the competition and the trend already implemented in Israel of
the use of domestic water over irrigation. (Kelly, p.2).
International
Assistance
An
assessment on the environmental impact on the occupied Palestinian Territories
failed to take the issue further. A report, 14111, presented to UNEP’s
Governing Council recognized that the environmental situation was as a result of
Israeli occupation, but was rejected. Complaints were made that the official
Israeli statistics given were manipulative and restrictive. The consensus in
2000 was to form a neutral group to make further suggestions (UNEP, p.1). This
year, at the close of a three-day meeting of the Governing Council, the
undertaking has been made to assess the occupied Palestinian Territories (ENS,
p.1). Over 120 countries and 90 ministers were involved. It will need their
combined will in the midst of the global political malaise to honestly recognize
what needs to be ascertained and fulfilled with the people of the region
involved.
Seeing
the earth as a possession to be owned, conquered and used selfishly is a most
dangerous and destructive understanding of what God has bestowed upon us as
caretakers. In this, the seeds of disrespect for all forms of life are sown.
There is no thought for a sustainable future for generations to come except by
those who feel justifiably angered.
Sources:
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