erosion, and intensive desertification. Throughout the Israeli Occupation since 1967, Israeli policies have clearly ignored Palestinian environmental interests. Israel continues to damage the Palestinian environment with the construction of many “industrial zone” settlements, of which there are at least 13, occupying an area of approximately 980 hectares in the West Bank (ARIJ, GIS database 2007).
These industrial zone settlements are located in Jenin, Salfit, Jericho, Ramallah, Nablus, Qalqilya, Jerusalem and Hebron. Alarming consequences can be seen in three
Palestinian villages: Sarta, Kafr Ed Deik and Barqan, located in the Nablus governorate, which are subjected to industrial wastewater from the Barqan industrial zone. The discharged industrial wastewater passes through their agricultural land, damaging planted fields. It also
affects water resources, accumulating in lagoons which spread different diseases and cause health and environmental hazards.
Israeli transgressions against legally binding environmental responsibilities can also be found in its burial of hazardous solid waste on Palestinian lands. According to the Environment Quality Authority (EQA) report in March 2006, Israeli authorities are still smuggling solid waste and poisonous substances from industry inside Israel into the OPT, particularly into the southern part of the West Bank. The Israelis have also designated special waste disposal locations on Palestinian land. In 2005 there was an attempt to designate the Abu Shusha brickbreaker factory as a waste disposal site.
Furthermore, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have used Palestinian lands for the burial of zinc, nickel, radioactive substances and industrial waste for many years. There are also fears that Israel buried nuclear materials to the east of Yatta village. Other nuclear radiation concerns include Israeli nuclear experiments at Al-Aqaba Gulf area and the use of depleted Uranium during the Al-Aqsa Intifada 2000 (EQA, 2006).
Settlers’ violations against
Palestinians environment
Wadi Foqin village is located near Bethlehem, less than a kilometer from the Armistice Line (border between the OPT and Israel). Today, the village of Wadi Foqin has approximately 1343 residents (PCBS 2007), and is a blossoming place famous for its agricultural products. Such products play a crucial role in the economy of the village. The mountainous lands of Wadi Foqin also provide the villagers with good grazing areas and open spaces to utilize.
Wadi Foqin has suffered as a community since 1948, and when it lost much of its lands inside the 1949 Armistice Line. Today Wadi Foqin is surrounded by two illegal Israeli settlements: Hadar Betar to the east and Betar Illit to the southeast. The two settlements were established on lands originally owned by Palestinians, and occupy about 12% of the village’s total area (4.35 km2).
Settlers living in Betar Illit and Hadar Betar often behave violently towards the people of Wadi Foqin and the nearby Palestinian villages. The Israeli settlers hinder villagers from utilizing their lands that are located in the vicinity of the settlements. Settlers have uprooted more than 575 trees (ARIJ Database, 2006), and destroyed the field crops by pumping wastewater from the settlements into the cultivated land of the village. Such attacks have caused tremendous economic loss and health problems to the inhabitants of Wadi Foqin.
Confiscation orders continued to be issued by the Israeli authorities. Recently, the IOF handed out 12 military orders stating the seizure of 885 dunums [885 000 square meter] of agricultural lands. Additionally, the residents of Wadi Foqin were notified about military orders to demolish 7 water wells and walls, uproot several olive, almond, and vine trees. According to the Wadi
Foqin Village Council, the military orders will confiscate land, 13 rainwater systems, one water well and six water springs. The well and the water springs are used for drinking, husbandry and irrigation purposes.
Villagers of Wadi Foqin fear that if these military orders are implemented, they will no longer be able to access their lands, water wells and springs. This would lead to agricultural and economic losses since the village depends on agriculture. Vegetables and crops will be affected because of
water shortage and the unavailability of irrigation systems.
Israel continues construction of the segregation wall in and around Wadi Foqin. The construction of the segregation wall is having a major impact on the people living in the village and their environment. The segregation wall will destroy highly valuable irrigated agricultural land and
uproot olive and other crop trees. The area of the Israeli segregation wall will also threaten the natural and biodiversity resources of the different ecological zones. The segregation wall has significant repercussions for wildlife movement by adding to the fragmentation of ecosystems and habitats and by cutting the natural ecological corridors. Such pressure on the integrity of ecosystem and stability of natural resources increases the risk of losing the Palestinian biodiversity.
Palestinian villages: Sarta, Kafr Ed Deik and Barqan, located in the Nablus governorate, which are subjected to industrial wastewater from the Barqan industrial zone. The discharged industrial wastewater passes through their agricultural land, damaging planted fields. It also
affects water resources, accumulating in lagoons which spread different diseases and cause health and environmental hazards.
Israeli transgressions against legally binding environmental responsibilities can also be found in its burial of hazardous solid waste on Palestinian lands. According to the Environment Quality Authority (EQA) report in March 2006, Israeli authorities are still smuggling solid waste and poisonous substances from industry inside Israel into the OPT, particularly into the southern part of the West Bank. The Israelis have also designated special waste disposal locations on Palestinian land. In 2005 there was an attempt to designate the Abu Shusha brickbreaker factory as a waste disposal site.
Furthermore, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have used Palestinian lands for the burial of zinc, nickel, radioactive substances and industrial waste for many years. There are also fears that Israel buried nuclear materials to the east of Yatta village. Other nuclear radiation concerns include Israeli nuclear experiments at Al-Aqaba Gulf area and the use of depleted Uranium during the Al-Aqsa Intifada 2000 (EQA, 2006).
Settlers’ violations against
Palestinians environment
Wadi Foqin village is located near Bethlehem, less than a kilometer from the Armistice Line (border between the OPT and Israel). Today, the village of Wadi Foqin has approximately 1343 residents (PCBS 2007), and is a blossoming place famous for its agricultural products. Such products play a crucial role in the economy of the village. The mountainous lands of Wadi Foqin also provide the villagers with good grazing areas and open spaces to utilize.
Wadi Foqin has suffered as a community since 1948, and when it lost much of its lands inside the 1949 Armistice Line. Today Wadi Foqin is surrounded by two illegal Israeli settlements: Hadar Betar to the east and Betar Illit to the southeast. The two settlements were established on lands originally owned by Palestinians, and occupy about 12% of the village’s total area (4.35 km2).
Settlers living in Betar Illit and Hadar Betar often behave violently towards the people of Wadi Foqin and the nearby Palestinian villages. The Israeli settlers hinder villagers from utilizing their lands that are located in the vicinity of the settlements. Settlers have uprooted more than 575 trees (ARIJ Database, 2006), and destroyed the field crops by pumping wastewater from the settlements into the cultivated land of the village. Such attacks have caused tremendous economic loss and health problems to the inhabitants of Wadi Foqin.
Confiscation orders continued to be issued by the Israeli authorities. Recently, the IOF handed out 12 military orders stating the seizure of 885 dunums [885 000 square meter] of agricultural lands. Additionally, the residents of Wadi Foqin were notified about military orders to demolish 7 water wells and walls, uproot several olive, almond, and vine trees. According to the Wadi
Foqin Village Council, the military orders will confiscate land, 13 rainwater systems, one water well and six water springs. The well and the water springs are used for drinking, husbandry and irrigation purposes.
Villagers of Wadi Foqin fear that if these military orders are implemented, they will no longer be able to access their lands, water wells and springs. This would lead to agricultural and economic losses since the village depends on agriculture. Vegetables and crops will be affected because of
water shortage and the unavailability of irrigation systems.
Israel continues construction of the segregation wall in and around Wadi Foqin. The construction of the segregation wall is having a major impact on the people living in the village and their environment. The segregation wall will destroy highly valuable irrigated agricultural land and
uproot olive and other crop trees. The area of the Israeli segregation wall will also threaten the natural and biodiversity resources of the different ecological zones. The segregation wall has significant repercussions for wildlife movement by adding to the fragmentation of ecosystems and habitats and by cutting the natural ecological corridors. Such pressure on the integrity of ecosystem and stability of natural resources increases the risk of losing the Palestinian biodiversity.
full text
IN THIS ISSUE
“All Things Bright and Beautiful...”
by: Naim Ateek
Israeli Violations against the Palestinian Environment
by: Jad Isaac
Promoting Environmental Issues in Education
Traditional landscapes of Palestine
by: Sami Backleh
Occupied Water... Thirsty People
by: Fadia Daibes-Murad
The Art of Observation
by: Jill Dampier-Need
Let’s Create a Peace Tapestry
by: Marijke Egelie-Smulders
The Impact of the Israeli Occupation on Palestine’s
Environment
by: Simon Awad
Cornerstone. A Quarterly Publication by Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center. Sabeel is an ecumenical grassroots liberation theology movement among Palestinian Christians. Inspired by the life and teaching of Jesus Christ, this liberation theology seeks to deepen the faith of Palestinian Christians, promote unity among them, and lead them to social action.
General E-mail: sabeel@sabeel.org; Local Programs: community@sabeel.org; Clergy Program: clergy@sabeel.org;
Friends of Sabeel: world@sabeel.org; Youth Program: youth@sabeel.org; Public Relations: pr@sabeel.or
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