In the past two months, many experts, researchers and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) have emphasized that a humanitarian and environmental disaster in North Gaza is becoming more imminent now than at any time before, owing to a continuous increase of the sewage water level in the treatment plant in Beit Lahia.
The Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) started the construction of infiltration basins in the area to avoid the pressure on the existing plant and a potential leveling of the water.
However, the residents of the Um An Naser Village, northern Beit Lahia, prevented the construction works demanding the PNA and the PWA requesting that permanent solutions be found and that the entire plant be transferred to the eastern part of North Gaza.
This development comes in the aftermath of the withdrawal by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) of its offer to provide funding for the construction of a new treatment plant eastern North Gaza area, owing to political and security risks.
It should be noted that the total cost of the construction of a new treatment plant and the transfer of sewage water from the old plant to the new one is over USD 25 million.
Since September 2000, the Israeli forces sabotaged the PNA’s efforts to construct the proposed plant by reoccupying part of the area and preventing access to it.
An agreement, however, was reached between the Israeli Army and the PWA following intervention by Al Mezan, UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and other international entities.
The Israeli Army asked for security guarantees, and the PNA accepted to provide them.
There was hope that the construction would start by the mid- 2004.
According to a study conducted by Al Mezan, there are dangerous implications on the health, economic and social conditions of Palestinians in the area due to this treatment plant.
Seven months ago, the study issued a warning about a potential disaster threatening the life of tens of thousands of people and about long-term effects of this potential disaster.
[1] Al Mezan Center for Human Rights is highly concerned by this issue and, as such, emphasizes the following: - The Center understands the citizens’ demands of permanent solutions for the problem, especially as several temporary solutions were exhausted in the past without reducing the dangers.
However, the Center draws the attention to the imminent risks on the population’s life, which necessitates such that the problem be addressed imminently.
- Resolving this problem is considered a priority by the residents of the area and experts.
It is the PNA’s responsibility in the first place to find a solution.
The Center calls the Palestinian Cabinet and the Palestinian Legislative Council to provide the funds needed to work on both the temporary and the permanent solutions mentioned above.
- The Center appeals for donor countries to look at this problem from a humanitarian perspective, rather than political or security perspectives.
- The Center emphasizes the importance of continuing ongoing efforts to reach a mutual understanding of the problem and the solutions among the PNA, the NGOs, the local communities, and the political powers.
Such understanding will facilitate both the urgent and permanent solutions.