October 27, 2009

Israeli water torture?

The imbalance in water usage between Israel and the Palestinians demonstrates the full blown colonial racist nature of the State of Israel in such a way that even the most dishonest of Israel apologists won't even try to justify or deny. Ok, except for Mark Regev of course. See this report from the BBC:
Israel is denying Palestinians access to even the basic minimum of clean, safe water, Amnesty International says.

In a report, the human rights group says Israeli water restrictions discriminate against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

It says that in Gaza, Israel's blockade has pushed the already ailing water and sewage system to "crisis point".......

In the 112-page report, Amnesty says that on average Palestinian daily water consumption reaches 70 litres a day, compared with 300 litres for the Israelis.

It says that some Palestinians barely get 20 litres a day - the minimum recommended even in humanitarian emergencies.

While Israeli settlers in the West Bank enjoy lush gardens and swimming pools, Amnesty describes a series of Israeli measures it says are discriminating against Palestinians:
  • Israel has "entirely appropriated the Palestinians' share of the Jordan river" and uses 80% of a key shared aquifer
  • West Bank Palestinians are not allowed to drill wells without Israeli permits, which are "often impossible" to obtain
  • Rainwater harvesting cisterns are "often destroyed by the Israeli army"
  • Israeli soldiers confiscated a water tanker from villagers who were trying to remain in land Israel had declared a "closed military area"
  • An unnamed Israeli soldier says rooftop Palestinian household water tanks are "good for target practice"
  • Much of the land cut off by the West Bank barrier is land with good access to a major aquifer
  • Israeli military operations have damaged Palestinian water infrastructure, including $6m worth during the Cast Lead operation in Gaza last winter
  • The Israeli-Egyptian blockade of Gaza has "exacerbated what was already a dire situation" by denying many building materials needed for water and sewage projects.

In the interests of balance here is one of the lower forms of life in occupied Palestine and it's the aforementioned, Mark Regev (né Freikorps, woops not Freikorps, Freiborg). Anyway, here he is:
Mark Regev said "the idea that we're taking water away from someone else is simply preposterous".
Well honestly, fancy accusing the State of Israel of taking something to which it's not entitled. They'll be accusing them of using white phosphorous on schools and hospitals next.

Here's one account on the Amnesty site of Israel's destruction of Palestinian water infrastructure in the West Bank.

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