The Colony of Rafafa: The Source of Pollution in Wadi Qana

Violation: The pumping of sewage and waste water towards Palestinian lands in Wadi Qana

Date of Violation: March 2012

Perpetrators: Colonist from the colony of Rafafa

Preface:

The area of Wadi Qana is considered one of the most diverse areas in the north of the West Bank to the degree that biodiversity researchers have made it their first research destination. Also, it was the first choice of those hoping to have a good day in the arms of the welcoming nature.

However, the Israeli occupation and its seven colonies established along the length of the Wadi made the area plagued with pollution especially through dumping sewage and waste water into it. In turn, this pollution affected negatively the beauty of the area as well as its biodiversity.

The colony of Rafafa is located southwest of Wadi Qana. This colony continues as of today to dump its wastewater into the Wadi despite the repeated calls to solve its sewage system. The situation has become unbearable after the death of tens of trees in the aftermath of the drowning of tens of dunums of Palestinian private lands in sewage water.

Pic.1+2: Wadi Qana

The problem in the Wadi continues unabated. As to add insult to injury, Israeli colonists joined the attack on the Wadi; on Thursday March 1^st, 2012, Rafafa colonists pumped large amounts of wastewater towards the Wadi affecting 70 dunums of Palestinian lands planted with olive trees.

Mr. Nazmi Al Salman, the head of the Deir Istiya Municipality, expressed the following for the Land Research Center (LRC)’s field researcher: ‘ It was not the first time that Rafafa colonists pump waste water into our lands. These colonists claim that the pumps that connects the sewage system of the colony to the main network inside of the Green Line has malfunctioned, thus leaving no other option except pumping the waste water into the Wadi. The situation on the ground is contrary to what they are claiming; the pumps have not been fixed since ever and we (as the Municipality) have submitted a large number of complaints to the Israeli side, yet to no avail. We receive only promises from them. Moreover, the colonists take advantage of the winter season and pump large quantities of the waste water to mix with the rain water causing unfixable damage to the environment and the lands of Wadi Qana.’

The colony of Rafara (established on Parcel 7 of Deir Istiya lands) has witnessed a great expansion recently as tens of new colonial units have been established. That is in addition to the placement of a large number of mobile caravans into the lands surrounding the colony in an effort to allow additional colonists to move in. Moreover, a new synagogue is currently being built in the said colony.