Violation: The sewage pollution of Wad Beit Amin stream from the sewage water flowing from Sha’are Tikva colony.
Date: early October, 2009(beginning of rainfall season).
Location: Beit Amin village located to the east of Qalqiliya.
Violators: Sha’are Tikva colonists. .
Victims: ‘Azzun ‘Atma and Beit Amin residents.
Details:
With the beginning of the current rainfall season, the continuous flow of Sha’are Tekva sewage water began in Wad Beit Amin stream. The rainfall increased the sewage water level which helped in mixing it with the stream waters and spreading it to the surrounding parts of ‘Azzun ‘Atma and Beit Amin.
Pictures 1+2: Beit Amin Stream. Rainwater has turned from
being a blessing to a curse thanks to the colonists.
being a blessing to a curse thanks to the colonists.
It must be pointed that Wad Beit Amin Stream stems from Howara to the south of Nablus city. It branches in Qana valley to different branches one of which passes through Beit Amin and ends up in the Mediterranean.
Sha’are Tekva was established atop Beit Amin lands in 1981. Just like cancer, it spread to cover about 200 dunums now. This colony negatively affected the lives of Palestinians living in nearby villages. It is considered the main source of pollution that drastically affects agriculture.
Picture 3: Polluted water is gathering in Palestinian Lands
Sha’are Tekva colony appears in the Picture
Sha’are Tekva colony appears in the Picture
The Israeli Occupation phony claims:
The Israeli Occupation Authorities have recently claimed that they have stopped pumping sewage water in Palestinian lands near ‘Azzun ‘Atma and Beit Amin. However, what happened during the rainfall shows the falsehood of these claims. Colonists of Sha’are Tekva and nearby Oranit colony took advantage of the flood of Wad Beit Amin stream and pumped more sewage which increased the possibility of delivering polluted water to the green houses and orchards in the area. Polluted water causes severe damage, it renders the crops inedible and if the crops were eaten, it’ll increase the risks of many epidemics including renal failure and kidney stones.
The sewage of Sha’are Tikva and Oranit colonies (established in 1981 and are located to the west of ‘Azzun ‘Atma) that is pumped in Wad Beit Amin Stream also causes the pollution of soil in the area. Furthermore, it pollutes the natural water reservoirs in the area including Al ‘Abeat which pumps about 60 m3 per hour and its water is mostly used for drinking, Al Salman in ‘Izbat al Salman which pumps almost the same amount of water, and many others. The pollution of these wells is highly probable, knowing that Al ‘Abeat is few meter away from the stream. If polluted, the results will be catastrophic.
Moreover, the smell of the sewage water is unbearable and sewage water attracts different kinds of insects. Such insects can damage the yields, the green houses, and most importantly human beings.
Bilal Mohammad and Sidqi Abdullah Saleh, a farmer who owns about 5 dunums near Wad Beit Amin Stream, Like most of the farmers in the area; farming is their main source for living after losing their jobs inside the ‘Green Line’ in the aftermath of the beginning of the second Intifada.
Sedqi said:’ the pollution attracts insects and pest control costs a lot; this increases the burden put on the Palestinian farmer. In addition, the horrible smells and the diseases caused by pollution are unbearable. On the other hand, colonists in nearby colonies are living their fancy lives with clean water available all the time’.
