RAMALLAH, July 12, 2011 (WAFA)- Head of the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA), Shaddad Attili, Tuesday condemned Israel’s destruction of three water wells in Beit Hassan, a village located to the east of Nablus, calling on the international community to intervene.
He said in a press release, “These were agricultural wells used to irrigate approximately 2000 dunums of land on which several Palestinian families relied. It is the ability of these families to stay on their land that Israel is targeting by destroying these wells,”.
He said, “In recent months, Israel has rapidly accelerated its destruction of essential Palestinian water infrastructure in flagrant violation of international law as well as previous agreements. This year alone, the Israeli military has destroyed 20 rainwater harvesting cisterns and 12 Palestinian wells. The impact on affected Palestinian communities continues to be disastrous.”
He added, “The water situation on the ground is unsustainable. Israel’s relentless targeting of Palestinian water infrastructure is part of a deliberate policy designed to forcibly displace vulnerable Palestinian communities from their land, as well as systematically destroy the very foundations of a future Palestinian state. Such unilateral acts by Israel threaten the very viability of the two-state solution, and at a time when the Quartet is debating how to revive negotiations, make a mockery of Israeli pretentions regarding peace or cooperation.”
Attili said that his first concern were the Palestinian families who had been affected.
“My immediate concern is for the welfare of those Palestinian families and communities affected by the destruction of these wells. Getting water to them is my first priority,” he said.
“The international community has a legal and moral imperative to intervene to stop Israel’s continued destruction of Palestinian water infrastructure and the enormous human suffering this creates throughout the occupied Palestinian territory. The time for words has long past. What we need now are actions and international pressure brought to bear on Israel to comply with international law,” he concluded.
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