Water as a Weapon against Palestinians

Fact:

This week Israel stopped the entry of fuel into the Gaza Strip. Power outages of 16–20 hours per day will further deteriorate the area’s fragile health system, limited sanitation services, and severe lack of access to drinking water.

Chronic electricity shortages have meant that pumps don’t work, causing waste to flow through neighborhoods and large sewage lakes to form. Two years ago a sewage lake overflowed, drowning five people in a nearby village.

Even when the pumps are working, the equivalent of 43 Olympic-size swimming pools of poorly treated sewage is dumped into the Mediterranean every day. The sea is more than 70% polluted.

Because Israel destroyed and has refused to repair the Gaza Strip’s sanitation infrastructure, water contamination is responsible for at least 26% of all disease.

Israel’s ongoing blockade restricts nearly all the materials critically needed to repair Gaza’s sewage-treatment facilities.

Source: Imemc

Banner design by Paul Normandia of Red Sun Press

The Increased Strangulation of Gaza

“Israel is tightening its collective punishment of the Gaza Strip.

Israel’s defense ministry announced on Monday it will be closing the Kerem Shalom checkpoint, the only place Israel allows goods in and out of Gaza, for all but “vital humanitarian aid” starting Tuesday.

On Thursday, Israel said it would also halt shipments of fuel.

Israel announced earlier in the week that it would be reducing the fishing zone from 15 to eight nautical miles off of Gaza’s coast.

Israel has never allowed Palestinians access beyond 15 nautical miles, despite the 20-mile zone stipulated under the Oslo accords signed by Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization in the 1990s.”

Israel tightens noose on Gaza

Israel has closed the Kerem Shalom crossing for goods and trade into Gaza to punish two million Palestinians for the release of incendiary balloons. (Ashraf Amra /APA images)

Bi-Weekly Brief for August 11, 2020

Bi-Weekly Brief for August 11, 2020

At a time when the Corona virus crisis has crowded out other news, the Alliance is producing news briefs every two weeks to keep our members informed about the situation in occupied Palestine.

Covid-19 upsurge

Israel’s hospitals are reportedly struggling as its Covid-19 cases have increased by 20,000 over the past 2 weeks to 82,670, with deaths reaching 600 by August 9. In the Occupied Territories there are now over 18,841 cases (78 in Gaza) and at least 110 deaths (1 in Gaza and 77 in Hebron district). DCI-Palestine reports that a 15-year-old Palestinian being held in an Israeli prison has tested positive for the virus.

Israel’s coalition government could be on the brink of collapse

After a month of smaller protests, up to 30,000 Israelis demonstrated on August 8 demanding Netanyahu’s ouster for mismanaging the economy and virus. The Aug. 9 Times of Israel reports support for the far right and centrists is growing, as Netanyahu and his coalition partner Benny Gantz - who declared it wrong for Israel to have a prime minister facing 3 indictments - are at odds over the budget, which Netanyahu refuses to approve. Unless an extension is agreed to, the government will be automatically dissolved if the budget is not approved by August 25.

Whatever happened to annexation?

While Netanyahu in early August said that annexation is still on the table but the White House must back it, Haaretz (Aug. 5) reported that under half of Israelis are in favor of it. Whether or not annexation is made ‘official,’ Israeli forces are reportedly preparing to demolish the entire village of Faraseen near Jenin, where soldiers destroyed a house and water well on August 10, and 8 Palestinian hamlets in the southern Hebron hills to make way for a firing zone.

This is what the Occupation looks like

On July 30, Human Rights Defender Mahmoud Nawajaa, the coordinator of the BDS Committee in the West Bank, was arrested when some 50 soldiers invaded his home near Ramallah. Over a dozen Palestinians were arrested in raids around the time of Eid al-Adha, and a dozen more on August 10. On August 7, 23-year-old Dalia Samudi was shot and killed by soldiers as she was trying to close her window to keep out tear gas during a raid in Jenin. Soldiers then shot at the ambulance that arrived on the scene. Dozens were injured when, on August 8, an anti-annexation march in a village near Qalqiliya was attacked by the army. Settlers set up roadblocks and attacked civilians and torched cars in various locations. In the Gaza Strip, Israel conducted air strikes on August 3rd and 6th, and tank artillery pounded central Gaza on August 9th with more airstrikes the following day, reportedly in response to balloons sent from Gaza carrying incendiary materials.

See Wafa News Agency and Palestine Chronicle

Banner design by Paul Normandia of Red Sun Press

Sweltering in Gaza

“For the past 13 years, more than two million people in the Gaza Strip have suffered constant electricity cuts because of Israel’s suffocating siege that has drastically limited the supply of fuel and seen the only power station here fall into disrepair.

The effect is most acutely felt in the summer heat, when there is insufficient ventilation and cooling facilities to deal with temperatures that are easily in the 30s celsius/high 80s fahrenheit.

People find ways to cope. The beach, especially in the evening, is a favored destination.

The streets also come alive as the sun starts to sink. That is when vendors know they can hope for some sales, even from impoverished customers, as the oppressive heat finally gives way.”

Coping with the scorching sun

It’s when the sun sets, that Palestinians in Gaza can finally find some relief to enjoy their evenings

Sanad Latefa

Raghad, 11, brings water to her home, which is often without its own supply.

 Sanad Latefa

Once evening falls, the beach fills, safe from a scorching afternoon sun

 Sanad Latefa