Water in Palestine
Learn more about the research behind Shuruq Harb’s exhibition Interrupted Futures
Published
In Shuruq Harb’s exhibition Interrupted Futures, the film Al-Mashrou’ plays a central role. It revolves around the Arab Development Society and water, particularly how access to water has increasingly been restricted since the Oslo Accords. Below is a selection of links to films available online that have contributed to Harb’s broader research on water insecurity in Palestine.
People & Power: Weaponising Water in Palestine (2023)
People & Power: Weaponising water in Palestine is a film that explains how occupation and the climate crisis have made Palestinians among the most water-insecure populations in the world.
The only source of freshwater in Gaza, the coastal aquifer, is insufficient to meet demand. It has been heavily depleted due to overuse, and large parts are contaminated by sewage. At the same time, rising temperatures and sea levels are worsening the situation. In contrast, residents in Israel do not have to worry about access to clean water in their daily lives.
"Decades of Israeli occupation have left Palestinians struggling to access clean water. Israel controls the majority of freshwater resources in the occupied West Bank. In the Gaza Strip, a 16-year blockade and military operations have had a devastating impact on water supply. Monitoring organizations estimate that around 97 percent of Gaza’s water is contaminated and unfit for human consumption.” — People & Power: Weaponising Water in Palestine, Al Jazeera (2023)
How Israel created a water crisis for Palestinians (2023)
In the video Josh Toussaint-Strauss examines how Israel gained control over the region’s water resources, and how this has contributed to a severe water shortage for Palestinians.
Water is one of the most valuable resources in Israel and the Palestinian territories, but there is a stark imbalance in how it is distributed. In the occupied West Bank, Israeli-owned farms are thriving, while Palestinians often do not have enough water to drink. In the Gaza Strip, Palestinians face an acute and life-threatening water shortage. — How Israel created a water crisis for Palestinians, It’s Complicated (2023)
A compelling picture of the impact of military occupation on everyday life.
Drying Up Palestine (2007)
A documentary film by Rima Essa and Peter Snowdon.
The film portrays the burdens faced by Palestinian society as a result of Israel’s extensive control over access to water and sewage systems in the West Bank. Through personal stories, it offers a powerful insight into how military occupation affects everyday life.
— Drying Up Palestine, redrice.net
