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| Israel Palestine Conflict | ||||||||||||||||||
Statement on Water Inadequacy for the Palestinians The United Nations has declared March 22 as the first World Water Day. Responding to this call, we, the North American Dominican Justice Promoters, call attention to the daily struggle for water of the people of Palestine. Israeli settlements, which are illegal under international law and consensus1, have robbed the Palestinians of water, cutting off access to their natural springs and siphoning off the supplies of their aquifer. This leaves West Bank Palestinians with an average of 73 liters per person each day2, well below the3 recommended 100 liters minimum. By contrast, West Bank settlements receive up to 400 liters per person each day, and many use this water to maintain swimming pools and spas.4 A recent UN report on settlements states, “Forcible takeovers and vandalism by settlers increasingly impair access to water. Some of the seized springs are turned into ‘tourist attractions’ or recreational sites, which receive Israeli government support.”5 In Gaza, the lack of potable water has reached crisis proportions. Only 5 percent of the water there is drinkable, and since 2007 Israel has prohibited the entry of material to rehabilitate the water and wastewater systems of Gaza,6 even after Israeli attacks destroyed such facilities during bombing attacks in 2008 and 2012. We are grieved by this injustice, and call for the return of both water and land rights to those from whom these have been wrongfully taken. Footnotes
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Dominican Statement on Gaza We are deeply disturbed by Israel’s “Pillar of Defense” attacks on Gaza. We call for an immediate end to the air strikes and naval bombing into Gaza as well as for an end to the ongoing siege of Gaza. We also call for an end of the rocket attacks from Gaza aimed into communities in Israel, which will not bring peace and security to the area. We support nonviolence and urge President Obama to condemn these attacks and to use his presidential power to insist that Israel and the elected government of Gaza pursue all diplomatic measures possible for the sake of life, safety, and security for all involved. According to Israeli peace activist Gershon Baskin, Israel broke an informal ceasefire on Wednesday by assassinating Hamas military commander Ahmed Jabari in an air strike. Gershon revealed that Jabari was assassinated just hours after he received the draft of a permanent truce agreement with Israel, which included mechanisms for maintaining the ceasefire. This assassination triggered more violence on those who year after year suffer under the illegal siege of Gaza, and threatens the safety and well-being of the Israelis as well. We urge President Obama to end military aid to Israel and to urge Israel to end the siege of Gaza for the good of Israeli Jews as well as the Palestinian people. Dominican Justice Promoters of New Jersey and New York U.S. Dominican Palestine Coordinating Committee North American Dominican Co-Promoters of Justice, Peace and Care of Creation Dominican NGO Representative Dominican Sisters of Houston INFORMATION U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation Council on Foreign Relations: Palestinian Statehood at the UN UN Briefing Aug. 10, 2011: “Examining the request for statehood for Palestine,” by Sister Margaret Mayce, OP, NGO in Special Consultative Status at the United Nations
Palestine Coordinating Committee Teresa Auad, OP Dusty Farnan,OP Stella Goodpasture, OP Ceil Lavan, OP Chris Matthias Bernie Wombacher, OP |
