WATER DEPRIVATION AS A MEANS OF ETHNIC CLEANSING
IN THE SOUTH HEBRON HILLS
BREAKING THE THIRST
JOIN THE PROTEST AGAINST WATER DEPRIVATION
JOIN A WATER CONVOY TO VILLAGES IN THE SOUTH HEBRON HILLS
SATURDAY, 26.9.09 AT 11 A.M.
With the residents of the villages Khirbet Jinba, Markaz, Hilawa, Taben, Fakit, Safai and Tuba – we shall go on a water-supply convoy, Saturday 26.9.09
as an act of solidarity and protest of the water deprivation of the region.
Tractors drawing water tanks, off-road vehicles and 4X4s will take part in this convoy
The convoy will leave two points of encounter:
Tel Aviv – Arlozorov depot, near the entry to Shlomo Sixt car rental, at 8:15 a.m.
Jerusalem – Gan Ha’paamon (Liberty Bell) Garden car park, at 9:30 a.m.
South Hebron Hills Rendezvous Point (precise place to be announced) at 10:00 a.m.
Pre-registration required
Central region, contact Yaacov Manor 09-7670801, 050-5733276, manor12@zahav.net.il
Shai 052-3727602
Jerusalem, contact Yehuda 050-4402350, yehudaagus@gmail.com
In your message, please leave telephone number and vehicle information
We shall be traveling in private cars, off-road vehicles, 4X4s and organized transport.
From the rendezvous point, we will be a convoy of tractors bearing water tankers, 4X4s, transit vans and platforms.
We need about 5-6 off-road vehicles to transport volunteers to the different water supply sites. Please confirm by contacting Yaacov or Yehuda.
Background:
In the South Hebron Hills, south of road no. 317, about 3,500 Palestinians live at present in various forms of rural localities – villages, hamlets and caves. Their livelihood consists of herding sheep and goats, dry farming and olive groves. Israel eyes this region - hundreds of thousands of dunam – meaning to annex it in the future and create territorial continuity all the way to the ‘green line’ around Arad-En Gedi.
To realize its annexation plans, Israel wants the entire area of the South Hebron Hills ‘clean’ of Palestinians, the legal owners of the land. In order to make life impossible for the residents, the authorities harass the local population in numerous different ways: administrative and court orders, house demolitions, home-cave demolitions, destruction of wells, tracks and harvests, and the declaration of vast areas as ‘firing zones’ forbidden entry. The extremist Jewish settlers of the area also serve as the regime’s long arm, and assault the residents with acts of severe physical violence, uprooting of fruit trees and the destruction of crops.
East of road no. 317, Palestinian localities have no water infrastructure, while the Jewish settlements in the area are regularly and amply supplied through the water pipe grid laid down by ‘Mekorot’ national water company. Settlers engage in intense agriculture such as hothouse plants that consume enormous quantities of water. While some of these settlers nurture private lawns, the neighboring Palestinians’ sheep and goat die of thirst across the fence.
Residents of this area depend on the rainwater that fills water holes during the wet season, and water supplied by tankers costing up to 50 sheikels per one cubic meter. The quantity of water consumed per person here is estimated at 15 liters a day, a far cry from the average water consumption of Palestinians in the West Bank, about 66 liters a day, and in the Jewish settlements and Israel proper – 236 liters a day per person.
The shortage of water for drinking and domestic consumption is a source of suffering and distress. The shortage of water for agriculture and livestock causes much suffering to the animals and damages the livelihood of the Palestinians. A herd of 100 heads consumes at least ¾ of a cubic meter a day. Due to the exorbitant price of water purchased privately, herd owners are forced to graze around Karmel and Yatta, where the cost of water shipping is somewhat lower.
Ample water supply for domestic and community needs in agriculture and industry is not a ‘favor’ or ‘privilege’ to be granted the Palestinians. It is a legal and moral duty, and its denial is a severe violation of international law. Our water convoy aims to arouse public opinion in Israel and abroad: the Palestinians deserve equal rights to water supply!
Partner organizations in the protest convoy: Anarchists Against the Wall, Humans without Borders, Banki, Bat Shalom, Gush Shalom, ICAHD, Public Committee against Torture in Israel, AIC, Tarabut – Hithabrut, Hadash, Yesh Gvul, Combatants for Peace, Machsomwatch, Maki, Meretz, Sadaqa-Reut, New Profile, Coalition of Women for Peace, Physicians for Human Rights, Taayush – Arab Jewish Partnership;
Palestinian organizations supporting the water campaign:
House of Water &Environment, Life Source, Medical Relief Society, Palestinian Environmental NGOs Net work (PENGON), Palestinian Farmers Union, Palestinian Hydrology Group, Palestinian Institute for Water Issues Training, Palestinian Peasants Union, Union of Agricultural Work Committees;
International organizations supporting the water campaign:
International Solidarity Movement, International Women`s Peace Services, Michigan Peacemakers Team, CCIPPT-France Civil for Palestine.
We need your donations. Checks may be made out to
“Coalition Headquarters”, p.o.box 1335, Kefar Saba 44113
or Account no. 119442, at Bank Hapoalim Branch no. 679,
Tchernichowsky, Kefar Saba
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