- Violation: using Palestinian lands as trash dumps
- Location: Palestinian Jordan Valley (Al-Ghoor)
- Date: 01/05/2015
- Perpetrators: the Israeli occupation government
- Victims: citizens and farmers of the area
Details:
Since the occupation of the West Bank in 1967, the Israeli occupation’s interests were not limited to taking over natural resources but extended to reach out the destruction of the biodiversity in the area of Palestinian Jordan Valley Al-Ghoor. This happened via transforming massive area of lands into military zones, camps and area planted with landmines. Noteworthy, such lands are banned to be used for agricultural ends for Palestinians.
Today, the Israeli occupation turned the area of Al-Ghoor into a dump for Israel’s trash, which is gathered from all over the Israeli colonies to be dumped in the Palestinian Jordan Valley. Such careless practice never considers the Palestinian environment, natural resources and human health, which are already badly affected.
A researcher from Land Research Center visited the dump, which is located 5km to the east of Al-Jiftlik village, to check up on the location. It should be marked that the dump was established in 1981 on confiscated lands under the claim of “military purposes” due to the fact that the land is a border area with Jordan. With time, the area was transformed into a 150 dunum waste dump, taking into consideration that it surrounds a vast area of palm-planted lands.
It is reported that an amount of 200 tons is periodically dumped in the area; the waste and the trash come from the occupied territories of 1948.
Photo 1: view of the waste dump
Bad odor and toxic exhaustions are forming a threat on the area; animals are facing a critical issue due to gases and the risk of respiratory diseases is relatively high. Moreover, the water stock founded in the area is witnessing a condemnation that will lead into a futuristic disaster.
Rodents and flies spread all over the place as a result, causing many diseases to spread. Additionally, the soil has been affected very negatively for the concentrations of heavy metals and toxics have notably increased. The most affected sector is going to be the agricultural one as a result.
A reality of contradiction:
It should be marked that at the same time the Israeli occupation calls for guaranteeing a biodiversity in the area and protecting natural reserves, it invests all efforts in destroying environmental standards in the area of the West Bank.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
