Thirsting for justice

Participating in “Youth for the Right to Water and Sanitation” project (YRWS) has opened our eyes to a deeper and wider range of information regarding the water crisis that Palestinians have been suffering from, for years. Previously, we lacked awareness of such deadly facts. However, during the project, we are keen to better understand the key factors behind our water and sanitation crisis, and we have absorbed a lot of information concerning the daily frequent Israeli violations of international human rights law leaving water and sanitation on the edge of collapse.

In the light of thirsting for truth, as youth leaders, we feel responsible for raising up this cause internationally to speak on behalf of the unheard vulnerable Palestinians. So, after one of the project’s meetings about the Israeli attacks, which are the origin of our current water crisis, we determined to reveal the bitter truth; therefore, we traced the road to Alsabra area located in the middle of Gaza City.

It was all in Alja’al’s house consisting of 16 members, including the 50-year householder, Ehmoud Alja’al who was a taxi driver but currently he is jobless due to healthy malaises he suffers from. His wife, Ateyat Alja’al, starts telling her tale aged 15 years!

“We are obliged to purchase gallons of clean water which cost US$18 a week instead of the salty and polluted water; we even use this clean water for bathing and washing. At the time we do not have enough money to purchase sufficient amounts of clean water, I am forced to cook and knead with the salty water which causes dermal diseases, vomiting, diarrhea and dysentery to my children”, said Ateyat.

In the last war in Gaza in 2008, Israel destroyed most of the facilities of water: 11 water wells, 4 water treatment plants as well as the sewage discharge plants.
It is also worth mentioning that Israeli restrictions on entry of fuel and electricity have resulted in 60-80 million liters of untreated or partially treated sewage flowing daily into the sea and contaminating the underground aquifer, which is the only available source of water to the 1.5 million people in Gaza, causing high levels of nitrates (330 mg/liter) which led to saltiness of water.

As Israel is a state party to Article 24, Child rights’ convention which declares that “the contracting countries must combat diseases and malnutrition by affording nutritive foods and pure water for children”, it is obliged to implement what is stated by this convention; nevertheless, Ateyat’s story proves the exact opposite!

“We only receive water 3 days a week at midnight; my eldest son has to stay awake till 12:00 am when water is available in the taps in order to store as much water as he can because we do not have a generator for pumping water”, she added.

Back to 2006, Israel bombed Gaza’s only power plant; consequently, water crisis is reaching alarming proportions because irregular supply of electricity leads to disorder of water distribution. “Electricity is another predicament; when water is available, electricity is not and vice versa!” Ateyat said. Noting that “Water must be healthy, sufficient, affordable and accessible”, Article 1, 11, Human rights’ accord

Israel, as an occupying power, has legal responsibilities to the under international humanitarian law as it is declared in the Fourth Geneva Convention, relative to the protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War “An occupying power is responsible for maintaining public health and hygiene in an occupied territory which necessitates the provision of clean drinking water and adequate sanitation.” Whereas the following states the contrast, “the salty water my neighbor receives once caused her sever digestive disease, so she always borrows clean water, which she can not afford, to avoid such diseases,” she said.

SOS
“We complained about water problems to the concerned party but no response because the ones we complain to also suffer from the same problem, we really need help!” appealed she.

Take Action
To respond her appeal and many others’, be part of the change by joining us on our global campaign ‘Thirsting for Justice’ and take part in  Facebook: Thirsting for Justice, and Twitter @thirsty4justice

As thirsty for justice and volunteers in (YRWS), we call upon international community to immediately intervene to advocate our rights of water as human beings and pressure Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and ensure that Palestinians in the OPT are enjoying their right to water.
Palestine is sorely appealing you for help and justice as its people have been bearing a lot under the Israeli’s violations of all water resources which are going to run out by 2015.

Remind your mind that Right to Water is Right to Life!