17 aug 2016
Israeli army bulldozers, on Wednesday morning, have reportedly leveled Palestinian-owned lands to the south of Hebron province.
A local journalist in Hebron said, according to the PNN, that the Israeli army destroyed a water tank and bulldozed Palestinian lands covering an area of 15 dunams in the western town of Beit Oula, in the southern occupied West Bank.
Over 300 olive trees were planted in the targeted tract. Owned by Palestinian citizen Muhammad al-Amla, the lands, located near the Israeli apartheid wall, were reportedly razed without prior notification.
Army troops went on to chase down Palestinian protesters in the area.
A local journalist in Hebron said, according to the PNN, that the Israeli army destroyed a water tank and bulldozed Palestinian lands covering an area of 15 dunams in the western town of Beit Oula, in the southern occupied West Bank.
Over 300 olive trees were planted in the targeted tract. Owned by Palestinian citizen Muhammad al-Amla, the lands, located near the Israeli apartheid wall, were reportedly razed without prior notification.
Army troops went on to chase down Palestinian protesters in the area.
16 aug 2016
Israeli bulldozers on Tuesday morning demolished, under military protection, an automobile showroom in Anata town, east Jerusalem, at the pretext of unlicensed construction.
Bulldozers also razed a horse stable in Mukaber Mount, south Jerusalem, for the same reason.
Local sources said that the car showroom belonged to Zakaria Mousa.
Meanwhile, Israeli military patrols are still stationed at the main entrance to Anata town, intercepting and searching passing vehicles.
Bulldozers also razed a horse stable in Mukaber Mount, south Jerusalem, for the same reason.
Local sources said that the car showroom belonged to Zakaria Mousa.
Meanwhile, Israeli military patrols are still stationed at the main entrance to Anata town, intercepting and searching passing vehicles.
Dozens of Palestinians’ olive trees were abruptly deracinated by Israeli army troops on Tuesday morning in southern Tulkarem province.
A PIC journalist quoted local sources as stating that an Israeli army bulldozer uprooted several olive trees planted on the main access road to Shoufa town, to the south of Tulkarem.
Remarkable damage was inflicted on Palestinians’ olive orchards near the illegal Israeli settlement of Avnei Hefetz.
The locals attributed such procedures to Israeli intents to expand illegal settlement construction in the area at the expense of Palestinians’ own lands.
A PIC journalist quoted local sources as stating that an Israeli army bulldozer uprooted several olive trees planted on the main access road to Shoufa town, to the south of Tulkarem.
Remarkable damage was inflicted on Palestinians’ olive orchards near the illegal Israeli settlement of Avnei Hefetz.
The locals attributed such procedures to Israeli intents to expand illegal settlement construction in the area at the expense of Palestinians’ own lands.
15 aug 2016
Israeli navy ships attacked, on Monday evening, a number of Palestinian fishing boats, in Palestinian territorial water in Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, and kidnapped five fishers.
Eyewitnesses said the navy fired many live rounds at the boats and kidnapped Fadi Mahmoud Bakr, Ehab Jawad Bakr, Mamdouh No’man Bakr, Wael Nabil Bakr and Khamis Ziad Meenawi.
The five were all fishing in the same boat; the navy also confiscated their boat and took it to Ashdod Port.
On Friday, August 12th, the navy attacked fishing boats and kidnapped five fishers identified as Saed Jom’a Bakr, Mahmoud Saed Bakr, Ibrahim Saed Bakr, Yasser Nasser Bakr and Ahmad Mahmoud al-Louh.
The attacks are part of frequent Israeli violations against the besieged and improvised coastal region.
Eyewitnesses said the navy fired many live rounds at the boats and kidnapped Fadi Mahmoud Bakr, Ehab Jawad Bakr, Mamdouh No’man Bakr, Wael Nabil Bakr and Khamis Ziad Meenawi.
The five were all fishing in the same boat; the navy also confiscated their boat and took it to Ashdod Port.
On Friday, August 12th, the navy attacked fishing boats and kidnapped five fishers identified as Saed Jom’a Bakr, Mahmoud Saed Bakr, Ibrahim Saed Bakr, Yasser Nasser Bakr and Ahmad Mahmoud al-Louh.
The attacks are part of frequent Israeli violations against the besieged and improvised coastal region.
13 aug 2016
Palestinian farmers from villages ad towns in Salfit province have complained that the Israeli occupation army deprives them of harvesting fruits from their fields, which are located behind the segregation wall.
Farmers from different areas of Salfit, including Mas'ha, Iskaka, Mardah and others, said that Israeli soldiers refuse to allow them to enter their cultivated fields in order to gather summer crops, including carob, hawthorn, almonds and figs.
They added that the Israeli army often grants permits for their entry to their plots of land during times when the fruits have become either stale or still not ripe.
For his part, local researcher Khaled Maali said that Israel's segregation wall and settlement activities had devoured 70 percent of the Palestinian land in Salfit province.
Maali affirmed that the farmers' failure to reach their lands behind the wall increased the poverty rate among the farmers, describing the Israeli restrictions on their entry to their property as a violation of the international law.
Farmers from different areas of Salfit, including Mas'ha, Iskaka, Mardah and others, said that Israeli soldiers refuse to allow them to enter their cultivated fields in order to gather summer crops, including carob, hawthorn, almonds and figs.
They added that the Israeli army often grants permits for their entry to their plots of land during times when the fruits have become either stale or still not ripe.
For his part, local researcher Khaled Maali said that Israel's segregation wall and settlement activities had devoured 70 percent of the Palestinian land in Salfit province.
Maali affirmed that the farmers' failure to reach their lands behind the wall increased the poverty rate among the farmers, describing the Israeli restrictions on their entry to their property as a violation of the international law.
12 aug 2016
A number of Israeli navy ships attacked, earlier on Friday, a number of Palestinian fishing boats, opened fire on them and kidnapped five fishers, before confiscating their boats.
Zakariyya Bakr, an official in charge of the Fishers Committee of the “Union of Agricultural Workers Committees,” said the navy ships opened automatic fire, approximately at 7 in the morning, targeting several boats in the al-Waha area, north of Gaza city.
Bakr added that the navy then assaulted the fishers, who jumped into the water to avoid the bullets, and kidnapped five of them in addition to confiscating their boats.
The kidnapped fishers have been identified as Saed Jom’a Bakr, Mahmoud Saed Bakr, Ibrahim Saed Bakr, Yasser Nasser Bakr and Ahmad Mahmoud al-Louh.
Earlier om Friday at dawn, several Israeli navy ships opened fire on a number of Palestinian fishing boats in Beit Lahia and Sudaniyya, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, and in Rafah, in its southern part.
Zakariyya Bakr, an official in charge of the Fishers Committee of the “Union of Agricultural Workers Committees,” said the navy ships opened automatic fire, approximately at 7 in the morning, targeting several boats in the al-Waha area, north of Gaza city.
Bakr added that the navy then assaulted the fishers, who jumped into the water to avoid the bullets, and kidnapped five of them in addition to confiscating their boats.
The kidnapped fishers have been identified as Saed Jom’a Bakr, Mahmoud Saed Bakr, Ibrahim Saed Bakr, Yasser Nasser Bakr and Ahmad Mahmoud al-Louh.
Earlier om Friday at dawn, several Israeli navy ships opened fire on a number of Palestinian fishing boats in Beit Lahia and Sudaniyya, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, and in Rafah, in its southern part.
11 aug 2016
Several Israeli military vehicles invaded, earlier on Thursday morning, Barta’a ash-Sharqiyya village, southwest of the northern West Bank city of Jenin, demolished a brick factory and confiscated its equipment.
The WAFA Palestinian News & Info Agency said the demolished factory belonging to Waleed Ajaj, and that the army claimed it was built without a construction permit from the Israeli Authorities.
It added that the soldiers confiscated all the equipment and tools in the factory before demolishing it, and also invaded a pottery workshop belonging to Rami Ayyoubi, and searched it.
Local sources said dozens of soldiers invaded the town, and fired many live rounds, sound bombs, and concussion grenades.
Last week, the soldiers handed demolition orders to four Palestinian shop owners in the Industrial Zone, in Jenin.
The WAFA Palestinian News & Info Agency said the demolished factory belonging to Waleed Ajaj, and that the army claimed it was built without a construction permit from the Israeli Authorities.
It added that the soldiers confiscated all the equipment and tools in the factory before demolishing it, and also invaded a pottery workshop belonging to Rami Ayyoubi, and searched it.
Local sources said dozens of soldiers invaded the town, and fired many live rounds, sound bombs, and concussion grenades.
Last week, the soldiers handed demolition orders to four Palestinian shop owners in the Industrial Zone, in Jenin.
10 aug 2016
Israeli bulldozers escorted by Israeli soldiers on Wednesday morning removed hundreds of olive trees on a vast tract of Palestinian-owned land in Iskaka village, east of Salfit province.
Chief of the village Abdul-Qader Abu Hakema told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that the bulldozers uprooted about 500 olive trees from the land, which the Israeli army claimed to be state land.
He added that the landowners and farmers rushed to the area in an attempt to protect the olive trees, but soldiers intercepted them and barred them from approaching the bulldozers.
In this regard, local researcher Khaled Maali said the annexed land is located in al-Bayyadah area and was bulldozed to expand settlements east of Iskaka village.
Israel is embarking nowadays on expanding all the settlements in Salfit province and has annexed vast tracts of land for that purpose, according to Maali.
Chief of the village Abdul-Qader Abu Hakema told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that the bulldozers uprooted about 500 olive trees from the land, which the Israeli army claimed to be state land.
He added that the landowners and farmers rushed to the area in an attempt to protect the olive trees, but soldiers intercepted them and barred them from approaching the bulldozers.
In this regard, local researcher Khaled Maali said the annexed land is located in al-Bayyadah area and was bulldozed to expand settlements east of Iskaka village.
Israel is embarking nowadays on expanding all the settlements in Salfit province and has annexed vast tracts of land for that purpose, according to Maali.
9 aug 2016
Israeli soldiers, accompanied by military bulldozers, invaded earlier on Tuesday at dawn, the town of Sabastia, north of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, and demolished a restaurant and a porcelain workshop.
Nael Sha’er, the head of Sabastia Local Council, said the soldiers demolished a restaurant, owned by resident Nael Aqel, and a Porcelain workshop, owned by Ahmad Thiab Aqel, near the archeological Palestinian area.
The army said the constructions are located in Area C, under full Israeli military and administrative control.
Sha’er added that the soldiers imposed curfew on the entire area, and prevented the Palestinians from leaving their homes.
On Monday, the army forced a Palestinian to demolish his shed and barn under the same allegations, in Sebastia.
Nael Sha’er, the head of Sabastia Local Council, said the soldiers demolished a restaurant, owned by resident Nael Aqel, and a Porcelain workshop, owned by Ahmad Thiab Aqel, near the archeological Palestinian area.
The army said the constructions are located in Area C, under full Israeli military and administrative control.
Sha’er added that the soldiers imposed curfew on the entire area, and prevented the Palestinians from leaving their homes.
On Monday, the army forced a Palestinian to demolish his shed and barn under the same allegations, in Sebastia.
8 aug 2016
Earlier on Monday morning, Israeli soldiers forced a Palestinian to demolish his own barn and shed in Sabastia town, northwest of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
The Palestinian, Abdullah Jamal Makhamra, said the soldiers handed him a demolition order, on Sunday evening, informing him that he has until dawn Monday to demolish his properties, and threatened to force him to pay a 15.000 Israeli Shekels fine should the army demolish them.
Makhamra said that he, and dozens of residents of Sebastia had to remove more than 130 sheep from his 350 square/meter shed, and emptied his 200 square/meter barn, and added that his losses are close to 50.000 Shekels.
The Palestinian also said that he received a similar order four months ago, and went to the military base in Huwwara, but the army refused to grant him a license, although the properties are built on his own lands.
The area is classified as “Area C”, under full Israeli military, security and administrative control, where the Palestinians are rarely granted a permit, while Israel continues to build and expand its illegal colonies.
The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories (B’Tselem):
Area C, which comprises about 60 percent of the occupied West Bank, and which Israel views as primarily meant to serve its own needs.
Accordingly, Israel acts to establish facts on the ground so as to create a reality that would be difficult to change. The state takes action to displace and expel Palestinians citing flimsy legal pretexts.
For example, one reason given for home demolition is “illegal construction” – an untenable argument given the absence of any real possibility for Palestinians to build legally.
IOF knocks down civilian structures, destroys water line
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) early Monday morning knocked down agricultural and residential structures in Nablus and the northern Jordan Valley.
A PIC journalist quoted the Head of the Jeftlek village council, to the east of Nablus, Othman al-Anouz as stating that Israeli army bulldozers rolled into the area at the crack of dawn and demolished two barracks for raising livestock along with a civilian home.
The IOF further demolished a cattle farm in Sebastia town, to the north, under the pretext of unlicensed construction.
The IOF soldiers also stormed Aqraba town, in southeastern Nablus, and wreaked havoc on civilian homes. At the same time, the occupation troops destroyed an eleven-kilometer-long water line used by over 250 Palestinians in the Yizra nomadic area in the northern Jordan Valley, to the east of Tubas city, under the pretext that it was installed over the Israeli-controlled Area C.
Palestinian natives of Yizra have often launched a cry for help over the forced deportation policies and tactics of ethnic cleansing perpetrated by the Israeli occupation authorities in the area. Local activist Mukhlis Masa’id told the PIC that water sources in the area have been the permanent target of Israeli aggressions in an attempt to mar life for the native Bedouin communities.
The Palestinian, Abdullah Jamal Makhamra, said the soldiers handed him a demolition order, on Sunday evening, informing him that he has until dawn Monday to demolish his properties, and threatened to force him to pay a 15.000 Israeli Shekels fine should the army demolish them.
Makhamra said that he, and dozens of residents of Sebastia had to remove more than 130 sheep from his 350 square/meter shed, and emptied his 200 square/meter barn, and added that his losses are close to 50.000 Shekels.
The Palestinian also said that he received a similar order four months ago, and went to the military base in Huwwara, but the army refused to grant him a license, although the properties are built on his own lands.
The area is classified as “Area C”, under full Israeli military, security and administrative control, where the Palestinians are rarely granted a permit, while Israel continues to build and expand its illegal colonies.
The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories (B’Tselem):
Area C, which comprises about 60 percent of the occupied West Bank, and which Israel views as primarily meant to serve its own needs.
Accordingly, Israel acts to establish facts on the ground so as to create a reality that would be difficult to change. The state takes action to displace and expel Palestinians citing flimsy legal pretexts.
For example, one reason given for home demolition is “illegal construction” – an untenable argument given the absence of any real possibility for Palestinians to build legally.
IOF knocks down civilian structures, destroys water line
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) early Monday morning knocked down agricultural and residential structures in Nablus and the northern Jordan Valley.
A PIC journalist quoted the Head of the Jeftlek village council, to the east of Nablus, Othman al-Anouz as stating that Israeli army bulldozers rolled into the area at the crack of dawn and demolished two barracks for raising livestock along with a civilian home.
The IOF further demolished a cattle farm in Sebastia town, to the north, under the pretext of unlicensed construction.
The IOF soldiers also stormed Aqraba town, in southeastern Nablus, and wreaked havoc on civilian homes. At the same time, the occupation troops destroyed an eleven-kilometer-long water line used by over 250 Palestinians in the Yizra nomadic area in the northern Jordan Valley, to the east of Tubas city, under the pretext that it was installed over the Israeli-controlled Area C.
Palestinian natives of Yizra have often launched a cry for help over the forced deportation policies and tactics of ethnic cleansing perpetrated by the Israeli occupation authorities in the area. Local activist Mukhlis Masa’id told the PIC that water sources in the area have been the permanent target of Israeli aggressions in an attempt to mar life for the native Bedouin communities.
7 aug 2016
As every year, during the summer, the water shortage in the Gaza Strip is accentuated. At the same time, the energy shortage caused by the blockade prevents engines and water pumps from pushing it from wells and tanks to houses and farming fields.
The Beach Camp is one of the more densely populated areas of Gaza and therefore one of the most affected by water scarcity. In addition, because of its location, directly on the seafront, its aquifers are some of the most affected by the infiltration of seawater and wastewater.
ISM collected several testimonies of people affected by this problem in order to discuss them with engineer Monther Shoblak, General Director of the Palestinian National Authority Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU).
The first testimony is that of Azzam Miflah El Sheikh Khalil, who says “the water comes only once every three days, and just for a few hours, which is not enough [to fill the tanks]. People can’t imagine how we are suffering because of the lack of water. In addition, there is no difference between the water from our wells and the sea water…
The main problem is that when there is electricity there’s no running water and when there is running water there’s no electricity . The only solution we have is to buy a generator to produce electricity when there’s water, but who can buy it if there is no work?”
In the next block lives the Mokhtar Kamal Abu Riela, who stressed the same problem: “When there’s water there’s no electricity, and vice versa. Maybe once every four or five days we have water and electricity at the same time for a few hours. Every day we buy gasoline to run the generator the hours when there’s running water, but the economic situation of the people is very precarious and not everyone can spend 20 NIS a day on gas just to have water in the tanks. We spend more on gasoline than in electricity or water itself”.
We asked the Mokhtar if he remembers when that problem began: “Ten years ago or so, with the blockade”.Finally, Im Majed Miqdad explained the difficulties she and her large family are faced with in their day to day life due to water scarcity: “There [are] people who build underground tanks [as those can be filled without bombs] or who buy a generator operated with gasoline.
But not everyone can afford these things. I’m one of those people who can not pay NIS 20-30 a day in gasoline to run the generator. Today, for example, in my home and in the homes of my four sons and their families we don’t have a drop of water, the four tanks are empty. We are waiting until running water and electricity will coincide in order to fill them. The situation is very hard, we have no water, we have no electricity, we have no work … If water and electricity would coincide at least three hours a day it would be enough to fill the tanks enough to spend the day.
People must understand that when there is no water you can not use the bathroom, you can not take a shower, you can not clean the dishes, the house, the clothes … And here the families have five, six, ten members … we are not just two or three people in each house”.
Given the frequent complaints of the population, the first thing that engineer Monther Shoblak wants to explain is that the failures in the water supply are due to the power cuts and therefore they can’t control them: “It is impossible for us to match the running water with the electricity, as to carry water from one area to the other, motors and pumps are needed and those can’t operate without electricity. We can’t control it because we don’t know which bomb will fail and when”.
However, he explains, the water problem in the Gaza Strip is more serious than that: “Indeed there is an over-exploitation of the aquifer in the Gaza Strip. This is because the coastal aquifer, which runs from Sinai to Yaffa and that is the only source of water available today in the Gaza Strip, has been nurtured historically by rainwater and by the water from the mountains of Al Khalil (Hebron) and the Naqab.
However, for decades our neighbors [the Zionists] have been building dams that prevent the water from following its natural course to Gaza, leaving rainwater as the sole source of the coastal aquifer. These dams are illegal, since they involve a violation of the conventional agreements on transboundary water sources. “Because of these illegal policies practiced by the Zionist entity, “the production capacity of Gaza’s aquifer has dropped to 55 million cubic meters a year. While the water demand of the Strip is 200 million cubic meters a year”.
This overexploitation is decreasing, to an alarming point, the level of the aquifer, causing seawater to seep and fill that vacuum, mixing with the fresh water and contaminating the aquifer. Additionally, to this chloride contamination caused by seawater seeping into the aquifer, the water is contaminated by nitrates from leaking sewage and fertilizers: “These are more dangerous than chlorides, as they can’t be detected by smell or taste”.
The successive attacks on the Gaza Strip have severely affected the sewage systems and destroyed thousands of septic tanks, causing in many cases wastewater to end up in the aquifer.
In addition, due to the lack of resources of local authorities, only 72% of Gaza is equipped with sewage systems. The rest depends on septic tanks built without supervision: “The occupation never provided the necessary services, such as mandated by international law. They didn’t build enough plants for wastewater treatment in order to protect the environment. If we look at the objective data it seems that their intention was just the opposite.
These plants shouldn’t be built in sandy areas, to avoid leaks, and should have an exit to the sea to prevent overflow in case of emergency. However, they built the main one in Beit Lahia, the sandiest area in Gaza and without exit to the sea. So when there is an overflow, which is quite common, wastewater inevitably ends up in the aquifer and contaminating farmlands in the area”.
At the same time, several cases of viral meningitis arose all along the Gaza Strip, some of which were mortal. This seems to be caused by wastewater contamination. This situation has forced the local authorities to close many swimming pools and advice the people not to swim in the sea, during the next weeks.
The Beach Camp is one of the more densely populated areas of Gaza and therefore one of the most affected by water scarcity. In addition, because of its location, directly on the seafront, its aquifers are some of the most affected by the infiltration of seawater and wastewater.
ISM collected several testimonies of people affected by this problem in order to discuss them with engineer Monther Shoblak, General Director of the Palestinian National Authority Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU).
The first testimony is that of Azzam Miflah El Sheikh Khalil, who says “the water comes only once every three days, and just for a few hours, which is not enough [to fill the tanks]. People can’t imagine how we are suffering because of the lack of water. In addition, there is no difference between the water from our wells and the sea water…
The main problem is that when there is electricity there’s no running water and when there is running water there’s no electricity . The only solution we have is to buy a generator to produce electricity when there’s water, but who can buy it if there is no work?”
In the next block lives the Mokhtar Kamal Abu Riela, who stressed the same problem: “When there’s water there’s no electricity, and vice versa. Maybe once every four or five days we have water and electricity at the same time for a few hours. Every day we buy gasoline to run the generator the hours when there’s running water, but the economic situation of the people is very precarious and not everyone can spend 20 NIS a day on gas just to have water in the tanks. We spend more on gasoline than in electricity or water itself”.
We asked the Mokhtar if he remembers when that problem began: “Ten years ago or so, with the blockade”.Finally, Im Majed Miqdad explained the difficulties she and her large family are faced with in their day to day life due to water scarcity: “There [are] people who build underground tanks [as those can be filled without bombs] or who buy a generator operated with gasoline.
But not everyone can afford these things. I’m one of those people who can not pay NIS 20-30 a day in gasoline to run the generator. Today, for example, in my home and in the homes of my four sons and their families we don’t have a drop of water, the four tanks are empty. We are waiting until running water and electricity will coincide in order to fill them. The situation is very hard, we have no water, we have no electricity, we have no work … If water and electricity would coincide at least three hours a day it would be enough to fill the tanks enough to spend the day.
People must understand that when there is no water you can not use the bathroom, you can not take a shower, you can not clean the dishes, the house, the clothes … And here the families have five, six, ten members … we are not just two or three people in each house”.
Given the frequent complaints of the population, the first thing that engineer Monther Shoblak wants to explain is that the failures in the water supply are due to the power cuts and therefore they can’t control them: “It is impossible for us to match the running water with the electricity, as to carry water from one area to the other, motors and pumps are needed and those can’t operate without electricity. We can’t control it because we don’t know which bomb will fail and when”.
However, he explains, the water problem in the Gaza Strip is more serious than that: “Indeed there is an over-exploitation of the aquifer in the Gaza Strip. This is because the coastal aquifer, which runs from Sinai to Yaffa and that is the only source of water available today in the Gaza Strip, has been nurtured historically by rainwater and by the water from the mountains of Al Khalil (Hebron) and the Naqab.
However, for decades our neighbors [the Zionists] have been building dams that prevent the water from following its natural course to Gaza, leaving rainwater as the sole source of the coastal aquifer. These dams are illegal, since they involve a violation of the conventional agreements on transboundary water sources. “Because of these illegal policies practiced by the Zionist entity, “the production capacity of Gaza’s aquifer has dropped to 55 million cubic meters a year. While the water demand of the Strip is 200 million cubic meters a year”.
This overexploitation is decreasing, to an alarming point, the level of the aquifer, causing seawater to seep and fill that vacuum, mixing with the fresh water and contaminating the aquifer. Additionally, to this chloride contamination caused by seawater seeping into the aquifer, the water is contaminated by nitrates from leaking sewage and fertilizers: “These are more dangerous than chlorides, as they can’t be detected by smell or taste”.
The successive attacks on the Gaza Strip have severely affected the sewage systems and destroyed thousands of septic tanks, causing in many cases wastewater to end up in the aquifer.
In addition, due to the lack of resources of local authorities, only 72% of Gaza is equipped with sewage systems. The rest depends on septic tanks built without supervision: “The occupation never provided the necessary services, such as mandated by international law. They didn’t build enough plants for wastewater treatment in order to protect the environment. If we look at the objective data it seems that their intention was just the opposite.
These plants shouldn’t be built in sandy areas, to avoid leaks, and should have an exit to the sea to prevent overflow in case of emergency. However, they built the main one in Beit Lahia, the sandiest area in Gaza and without exit to the sea. So when there is an overflow, which is quite common, wastewater inevitably ends up in the aquifer and contaminating farmlands in the area”.
At the same time, several cases of viral meningitis arose all along the Gaza Strip, some of which were mortal. This seems to be caused by wastewater contamination. This situation has forced the local authorities to close many swimming pools and advice the people not to swim in the sea, during the next weeks.
