Is Israel Weaponising Water in Palestine? | People & Power Documentary

Summary

The script highlights the dire water crisis in the occupied Palestinian territories, where decades of Israeli occupation have led to Palestinians struggling to access clean water. Israel controls most freshwater resources, exacerbating the situation with military operations and a 16-year blockade in Gaza. The crisis is further complicated by climate change, with rising temperatures and sea levels. Meanwhile, Israel enjoys a water surplus. The script also discusses the political implications, including the impact of Israeli settlements and the Oslo Accords, and the urgent need for international intervention to alleviate the crisis and promote cooperation for a sustainable water future.

Takeaways

• 🚨 Decades of Israeli occupation have severely impacted Palestinians' access to clean water, with Israel controlling most freshwater resources in the West Bank and Gaza.
• 💥 The Gaza Strip faces a dire water crisis, exacerbated by a 16-year blockade, military operations, and rising temperatures and sea levels.
• 🏙️ In Israel, residents enjoy consistent water supply, contrasting sharply with the situation in Gaza where water scarcity is a daily reality.
• 🌡️ Rising temperatures and prolonged droughts are depleting water sources, leading to a water deficit in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.
• 🚰 Israel, recognized as a water superpower, has the authority to control water supply to the occupied Palestinian territories, affecting the lives of millions.
• 🚚 Private enterprises in Gaza have stepped in to provide water to residents, often at a high cost and with questionable hygiene.
• 🏠 Many Palestinians spend a significant portion of their income on water, highlighting the economic burden of the water crisis.
• 🌊 Gaza's only freshwater source, the Coastal aquifer, is damaged by sewage seepage, high nitrate levels, and seawater intrusion, rendering much of it undrinkable.
• 🏭 International efforts, including the construction of desalination plants, aim to provide safe drinking water to Gazans, but are hampered by delays due to the Israeli blockade.
• 🌍 The water crisis in Gaza is part of a larger environmental threat, with climate change affecting weather patterns and water availability in the region.
• 🤝 The script underscores the need for international pressure on Israel to lift the blockade and for cooperation between Israel and Palestine to address the water crisis.

Q & A

What is the primary issue discussed in the video script related to the Palestinian territories?

The primary issue discussed is the struggle of Palestinians to access clean water due to Israeli occupation and control over water resources in the West Bank and Gaza.

How does the Israeli occupation impact the water supply in the West Bank and Gaza?

Israeli occupation controls most of the freshwater resources, leading to a water deficit, and military operations have a devastating impact on the water supply in the West Bank and Gaza.

What is the situation with the water supply in Gaza according to the script?

Around 97% of natural water supplies in Gaza are undrinkable, forcing residents to rely on private enterprises for water delivery, which is often of questionable hygiene.

What are the health risks associated with the water crisis in Gaza?

The water crisis in Gaza increases the risk of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea and hepatitis, with about a quarter of all diseases in Gaza being caused by water contamination.

How does the script describe the role of the Coastal aquifer in Gaza's water supply?

The Coastal aquifer is Gaza's only source of fresh water, but it has been damaged by over-pumping, seawater intrusion, and pollution from untreated sewage, making the water unusable.

What is the impact of the Israeli blockade on water infrastructure projects in Gaza?

The Israeli blockade makes it difficult to import materials needed for water infrastructure projects, causing delays and difficulties in completing projects like desalination plants.

What is the role of international donors and governments in addressing the water crisis in Gaza?

International donors and governments have stepped in to help by funding projects like desalination plants to provide an alternative source of water for Gaza residents.

What challenges does the Jordan Valley face regarding water resources, as mentioned in the script?

The Jordan Valley faces challenges as Israeli authorities control water infrastructure and settlers encroach on Palestinian water resources, leading to conflicts and reduced access to water for Palestinian farmers.

How does the script suggest resolving the water crisis in the Palestinian territories?

The script suggests that the resolution requires international pressure on Israel to end the blockade, political solutions to end the occupation, and cooperation and compromise between Israel and Palestine.

What broader implications does the script mention regarding water scarcity in the region?

The script highlights that rising temperatures and water scarcity pose existential challenges for both Israel and Palestine, emphasizing the need for immediate action to ensure a sustainable water supply.

Outlines

00:00

💧 Water Scarcity and Control in Palestine

The script discusses the dire water situation in Palestine due to the Israeli occupation and control over freshwater resources. It highlights the devastating impact of military operations and the blockade on Gaza's water supply, with rising temperatures and sea levels exacerbating the issue. The disparity between Israel, where residents have access to clean water, and the occupied Palestinian territories is emphasized, with the latter facing a water deficit and control over water resources as a form of power.

05:06

🏚️ The Struggle for Clean Water in Gaza

This paragraph delves into the daily struggles of Palestinians in Gaza to access clean water, with many unable to afford the luxury of a water tank. It describes the reliance on private enterprises to deliver water, often of questionable hygiene, due to the contaminated public water supply. The paragraph also covers the health risks associated with contaminated water, including increased risks of waterborne diseases, and the political and environmental factors contributing to the crisis.

10:07

🌊 Desalination Efforts and Blockade Challenges

The script outlines efforts to address the water crisis in Gaza through the construction of a desalination plant, which aims to convert seawater into potable water. However, the Israeli blockade has caused significant delays in the project, affecting the import of necessary materials. The paragraph also touches on the broader implications of the water crisis, including the impact of climate change and the need for international intervention to alleviate the situation.

15:09

🏞️ Disputed Water Rights in the Jordan Valley

This section focuses on the water rights disputes in the Jordan Valley, where Palestinian farmers face challenges due to Israeli control over water infrastructure. It discusses how Israeli settlements, considered illegal under international law, contribute to the water scarcity for Palestinians. The paragraph also highlights incidents of settler violence against Palestinian farmers and their water resources, illustrating the power imbalance and the need for international pressure to improve the situation.

20:11

🌍 The Looming Threat of Water Shortages

The final paragraph underscores the existential threat posed by water scarcity to both Israel and Palestine, emphasizing the need for cooperation and compromise. It points out the stark contrast in water access between Israelis and Palestinians, with the latter facing severe restrictions and shortages. The script calls for immediate action to ensure the survival of the Palestinian people and the preservation of water resources for future generations.

Keywords

💡Israeli occupation

Israeli occupation refers to the control and governance by Israel over territories beyond its borders, specifically the West Bank and the Gaza Strip since the Six-Day War in 1967. In the video, this term is central as it sets the context for the water crisis faced by Palestinians, illustrating how the occupation has led to an unequal distribution of water resources and exacerbated living conditions.

💡Water scarcity

Water scarcity is a situation where the availability of fresh water is insufficient to meet the demands of people's needs, agriculture, and industry. The video highlights this issue in the Palestinian territories, where the lack of clean water is a critical problem due to Israeli control over water resources, leading to health and sanitation crises.

💡Blockade

A blockade in the context of the video refers to the restrictions imposed by Israel on the movement of goods and people into and out of the Gaza Strip. This has severe implications for the water crisis, as it limits the import of materials needed for water infrastructure and the ability to develop new water sources.

💡Desalination

Desalination is the process of removing salt and other minerals from saline water to make it suitable for human consumption and agricultural use. The video discusses a new desalination plant in Gaza that aims to convert seawater into potable water, addressing the water crisis by providing an alternative source of clean water.

💡Waterborne diseases

Waterborne diseases are illnesses that are transmitted through contaminated water. The video mentions that due to the lack of clean water, Palestinians are at an increased risk of contracting diseases such as diarrhea and hepatitis, underscoring the health implications of the water crisis.

💡Coastal aquifer

A coastal aquifer is an underground water source found near the coast. The video explains that Gaza's only aquifer has been damaged by over-pumping, seawater intrusion, and pollution, rendering much of the water undrinkable and highlighting the environmental impact of the water crisis.

💡Settlements

Settlements refer to Israeli communities established in the occupied Palestinian territories, which are considered illegal under international law. The video discusses how these settlements contribute to the water crisis by consuming water resources and sometimes causing damage to Palestinian water infrastructure.

💡Oslo Accords

The Oslo Accords were a set of agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization in the 1990s, which included provisions for water resource management. The video notes that despite these accords, water infrastructure remains largely under Israeli control, and Palestinian access to water has not significantly improved.

💡Dual-use materials

Dual-use materials are items that have both civilian and military applications. The video mentions that the Israeli blockade restricts the import of such materials into Gaza, which can delay or hinder the construction of water infrastructure projects, exacerbating the water crisis.

💡International donors

International donors are entities that provide financial or material support to countries or regions in need. The video discusses the role of international donors in funding water projects in Gaza, such as the desalination plant, emphasizing the international community's involvement in addressing the water crisis.

💡Climate change

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. The video suggests that climate change is exacerbating the water crisis in the region by causing rising temperatures and sea levels, which affect water availability and quality.

Highlights

Decades of Israeli occupation have left Palestinians struggling to access clean water.

Israel controls most freshwater resources in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.

16-year blockade and military operations have devastated Gaza's water supply.

Rising temperatures and sea levels exacerbate the water crisis in the region.

Israel is a water superpower, controlling water access in the occupied territories.

Gaza's water crisis affects 2 million residents with 97% of water supplies undrinkable.

Private enterprises fill the gap in water supply with unregulated and potentially unsafe water.

Many Gazans spend 33% of their annual income on unclean water.

Waterborne diseases like diarrhea and hepatitis are prevalent due to water contamination.

Gaza's only aquifer is damaged by over-pumping, seawater intrusion, and pollution.

Israel's bombing campaigns have destroyed key water infrastructure in Gaza.

The Israeli blockade impedes the construction of water projects in Gaza.

International donors and governments have stepped in to address the water crisis.

Desalination plants are a potential solution but are delayed due to the blockade.

Israel's control over water resources and infrastructure is a point of conflict.

Settlers' incursions and attacks on water infrastructure affect Palestinian farming communities.

The Oslo Accords recognized Palestinian water rights but infrastructure remains controlled by Israel.

Climate change and over-extraction of water resources pose long-term challenges for the region.

Cooperation and compromise are necessary for sustainable water management in Israel and Palestine.

Transcripts

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[Music]

Decades of Israeli occupation have left

Palestinians struggling to access clean

water Israel controls a majority of the

freshwater resources in the occupied

West Bank and in Gaza is 16-year

blockade and military operations have

had a devastating impact on the water

supply Rising temperatures and sea

levels are only making life more

difficult while in Israel residents

don't have to worry about Taps running

dry people in power examines this

growing disparity

thank you

[Music]

the Gaza Strip is a war zone with a

high-speed attack in the last few

minutes how many civilians innocent

civilians have to pay the price for this

madness

no normal country could allow this to

happen Israel had to respond Israel had

to launch this preemptive strike daily

rates daily demolitions the conflict is

again reaching a boiling point power is

running low and thy water is running but

once again as the Palestinian people who

pay the price

water is life

especially in one of the most water

scarce regions in the world

in Israel and the occupied Palestinian

territories millions of people live next

to the Sea

but you can't use sea water for drinking

washing or agriculture

monitoring groups say Israel and the

occupied Palestinian territories have a

water deficit

they use much more water every year than

can be replenished naturally

as temperatures rise and droughts are

drawn out water sources are drying up

whoever controls the water controls the

people diesel kind of Remedy all the

problems but this is the part of a

political decision not to do so

Israel is a water superpower

and Israeli authorities have the power

to turn on and turn off the TAPS in the

occupied Palestinian territories

are like sitting on a Titanic ship

everyone is going to hit the iceberg

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we're traveling to the eras crossing the

entry point from Israel into Gaza

from here it's a kilometer long walk

from the checkpoint to the place many

call the world's biggest open-air prison

here more than 2 million gazans live at

the water's edge

but according to monitoring groups

around 97 of natural water supplies are

undrinkable

faced with a tainted public water supply

private Enterprise has stepped in to

fill the gap

these trucks are seen all over Gaza

they fill up at an unregulated private

company that takes dirty water and

cleans it up

then they drive around town delivering

it to customers

most of the time was the subject of

suspicious hygienity but it was the only

available resource for for people at

their homes too to drink and to cook the

rotor

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we're riding along with water

distributor Mohammed Ahmed as he

delivers water to residents at the

shorty refugee camp in Gaza City

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every home that can afford it has a

water tank on top of their building

the water delivery man attaches his hose

then pumps the water into the tank with

a petrol generator

but it comes at a cost

surveys have found that many Gardens

spend 33 percent of their annual income

unclean water

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um

for some residents of the sharty camp a

water tank is an unaffordable luxury

Muhammad usually fills up their

container free of charge

he's been delivering water to garsens

for 18 years one of the lucky ones with

a steady job

but he tells us he can barely put food

on the table for his four children

gaza's Water Crisis is not new it's been

going on for years

a generation of girls and children have

grown up without adequate access to

water and they're at increased risk from

waterborne diseases such as diarrhea and

hepatitis

rights groups and the UN have estimated

that about a quarter of all disease in

Gaza is caused by water contamination

because of the unique situation of Gaza

and the blockades and the way it's

situated there is I think there's always

a problem with water and water and

sanitation kidney problems like skin

problems some maybe cancer problems well

I think there's a crisis a political

crisis first of course the the blockade

occupation that's the real crisis

gaza's only supply of fresh water is the

underground Coastal aquifer

an aquifer is like an underground sponge

that soaks up groundwater which then

resurfaces through Springs and Wells

but gaza's only aquifer has been badly

damaged raw sewage seeping into the

water supply high levels of nitrates and

rising sea levels have left the fresh

water unusable

sea water has been coming and intruding

to the aquifer most the water wells in

the western part of the city is getting

very saline and cannot be used for

drinking or any other domestic use as

well

the aquifer has been damaged because of

over pumping and seawater intrusion and

pollution from untreated sewage so

there's high level of salt high level of

nitrates you can basically have a shower

in Gaza as if you are taking a dip in

the sea

around a fifth of gaza's untreated

sewage ends up in the coastal aquifer

this River a little way down the coast

from the beach pumps raw sewage into the

sea when the water treatment plant isn't

working due to frequent power cuts

guys and authorities and rights groups

say Israel has destroyed Key Water

infrastructure during its bombing

campaigns

the infrastructure is too old and it's

being hit several times during

escalations every year we have one or

two escalation

in May 2021 we have direct hitting and

damaging the infrastructure causing a

lot of problems to water and this hasn't

been repaired properly yet

this man has one of the most important

jobs on the Gaza Strip he decides which

neighborhoods get water and which don't

uh

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um

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Gaza can only provide a fraction of the

water its residents need

so by spinning these wheels he opens and

closes the pipes and tries to divert the

supply to where it's needed most

nearby this laboratory is taking samples

of gaza's water supply to test for

purity

but the results make for Grim reading

the salinity and nitrate levels in the

water are well above the who safety

limit

according to who the sanity the water

should not be more than 500 milligrams

per liter while today and our water TDs

is is more than in some areas five

thousand six thousand milligram per

liter

authorities here say they're doing the

best they can to supply water to as many

households as possible at the moment you

can get water from the tap here for a

few hours a day

but it's mixed with seawater to boost

Supply

faced with a Water Crisis International

donors and governments have stepped in

today we've been invited to the

integration of gaza's new desalination

plant which will take salt water from

the sea and convert it into water that's

safe to drink and washing

this impressive looking plant is

supposed to supply water to 250 000 Gaza

residents

all the movers and shakers of the

International Development Community are

here for the opening

every child has the right to access safe

drinking water is a fundamental right

the Gaza Strip is one of the most

populated area in the world and 96

percent of the Waterfront aquifer is not

for human consumption that's why it's so

important to desalinate the water from

the sea and produce an alternative

source of water

but access to the Gaza Strip is not easy

the blockade means construction projects

like this are slow coming

this plant is opening seven years behind

schedule

this project is only two years

Construction in terms of design

tendering and construction but because

of

the delay on Pringle materials into Gaza

by the Israel side and and giving a long

time of security clearance this project

witnessed such such years of disease the

Israeli blockade means projects such as

this are beset by delays and

difficulties mainly because it's almost

impossible to import dual use materials

into Gaza materials that the Israelis

say could be used for military purposes

yeah it wasn't easy I mean as you know

in may we experienced the flare-up of

violence a every other year or so an

even more regularly unfortunately we

have military escalations and that of

course stops to a large extent any kind

of activity including the import of

machine equipment from Israel the

Israeli Authority responsible for

security in Gaza declined to be

interviewed for this program

but they said in a statement

most of these projects involve the entry

of Dual Purpose Goods pipes dangerous

materials advanced technology and more

which pose great complications because

the terror organizations Hamas foremost

among them cynically exploit the entry

of such materials for the purpose of

advancing terrorism against the state of

Israel

I've been speaking to a lot of

Palestinians on this story and they all

say the same thing they need the

International Community to put pressure

on Israel to end the blockade and to

improve their lives they want you to do

more why aren't you doing more first of

all we are doing a lot

well of course as you rightly pointed

out the solution has to be political

it's not sufficient for us to address

climate change and not sufficient to us

to ease the restrictions from Israel we

need to have the end of your occupation

we need so many things we need pressure

on the International Community not just

to you the U.S the gulf and engagement

financing needs are huge we're talking

about billions and billions of dollars

and Euros why Israel was able to satisfy

its water leaves by desalinating the

water for the entire population they

have an extra water we can do the same

thing here in Gaza but it needs far more

political space to do that

the buzzword for Israelis is security

imagine 2 million people deprived of

water

deprived of travel deprived of

economic growth

deprived of any prospects

what do you expect of people who are

living under an open-air prison

does this reflect on Israeli security

the water situation in Gaza is already

dire but there's an even bigger threat

on the horizon a warming planet is

changing weather patterns all over the

world especially here

this hotel on the shores of the Dead Sea

used to attract tourists from around the

world

these days it's a wasteland

the place was a vivid place it used to

host Arabs from All Nations

Europeans everyone here used to come and

sit right there to sip their coffee by

the Dead Sea because the water was

literally at this Edge that you can see

here

since the 1950s the freshwater sources

that feed into the Dead Sea have been

diverted for drinking water and

irrigation

and the water line has receded

dramatically this once seaside resort

has now found itself almost half a

kilometer away from the disappearing sea

we're like sitting on a Titanic ship

there's people who are on the first

class luxury space

sipping champagne in the ballrooms but

once the iceberg hit the Titanic

everybody sinks

Israel could have the best technology in

the world

for desalination and for wastewater

treatment

but when it comes to having a thirsty

neighbor

it's all gonna hit

the iceberg everyone is going to hit the

iceberg

we're traveling to the Jordan Valley

here water is a shared resource in a

divided land

in the 1990s Israeli and Palestinian

leaders signed the Oslo Accords which

recognized the Palestinians right to

water and promised them greater access

to Water Resources

but the water infrastructure is almost

entirely controlled by Israel

suhair's family has farmed in the Jordan

Valley for Generations

she says that now the town's water

resources are being taken by Israeli

authorities

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foreign

settlements in the occupied Palestinian

territories are considered illegal under

international law

but in 2023 Israel's government said it

would approve thousands of new settler

homes in the occupied West Bank

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but it's not just the Israeli State

that's limiting Palestinian access to

water emboldened Israeli settlers are

taking matters into their own hands

farmers in anzamia a natural spring near

Ramallah Say incursions by settlers some

of them armed are happening almost daily

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[Music]

the frequent incursions by illegal

Israeli settlers have sent shockwaves

through this small community

Farmers say they're being forced to

abandon their lands and their spring

without water they can no longer Farm

here

damages

inside you can't see here

why would why would people do this

because they have the power

they have the power with her cannot we

haven't anything to defense ourselves

ourselves they can do it without

punishment

this is the reason

a local farmer shows me the damage from

the latest raid he says the settlers

punctured their water tanks with knives

destroyed crops and stole their

irrigation systems

the people who were here are poor

Farmers they work too hard to feed

theirselves and their families

and suddenly we are attacked by settlers

this land is controlled by the

Palestinian Authority but they say

they're powerless to stop the attacks on

the water infrastructure we've spoken to

many farmers in Palestine and they feel

that nobody is protecting them isn't it

your job to protect them

media

foreign

pools in the occupied West Bank

this was once the main water source for

Jerusalem

for farmers who live here illegal

settlements are a troubling presence on

the horizon

La Quinta is

Fadi says this community has been

decimated by a lack of access to water

and competition from subsidized Israeli

products

today with dwindling access to water

many Palestinian Farmers here have

abandoned their land and gone to work as

day laborers in Israel

Israel's government told us in a

statement in accordance with the

international agreements responsibility

for supplying water to the Palestinian

residents throughout Judea and Samaria

lies with the Palestinian Authority

there is no policy of preventing water

from reaching the Palestinians

the conflict between Israel and

Palestine is often portrayed as a

conflict where both sides are to blame

but there's no equivalence when it comes

to access to water the facts speak for

themselves Israel controls more than 80

percent of all water resources in the

occupied West Bank and any Israeli

doesn't experience any water shortage I

can open my water tap

and can come back a week later and still

have water but no Palestinians can even

imagine such a situation

100 of Israelis have access to daily

running water compared with just 36

percent of Palestinians

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the new illegal settlements promised in

the occupied West Bank by Israel's

government if built would drain yet more

Palestinian Water Resources

it is important for us to to act today

it's a matter of survival

we are over abstracting the aquifers to

replenish the demands of today

but we're not drinking the water of our

grandchildren we're drinking the water

of our own children

as temperatures rise and water becomes

even more scarce both Israel and

Palestine will face existential

challenges that go far beyond border

disputes the only solution is

cooperation and compromise neither will

be easy to achieve

but if nothing is done the Palestinian

people could lose access to their most

vital lifeline

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