ISRAEL has been systematically weaponising water against Palestinians in Gaza, showing disregard for human life and international law, according to a new report published by Oxfam.
The report, Water War Crimes, finds that Israel has cut off external water supplies, methodically destroyed water facilities and deliberately obstructed aid.
The paper found that this has reduced the amount of water available in Gaza by 94 per cent to 4.74 litres a day per person – just under a third of the recommended minimum for survival in emergencies and less than a single toilet flush.
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The findings of the report has led to condemnation from the SNP, the Scottish Greens and Independent MP Jeremy Corbyn.
In January, the International Court of Justice demanded that Israel immediately improve humanitarian access as well as to take all measures within its power to prevent genocide.
But this new Oxfam analysis found that Israeli military attacks have damaged or destroyed five water and sanitation infrastructure sites every three days since the start of the war.
The destruction of water and electricity infrastructure, and restrictions on entry into Gaza of spare parts and fuel (on average a fifth of the required amount has been allowed in) saw water production drop by 84 per cent, while external supply from Israel’s national water company, Mekorot fell by 78 per cent.
Israel has destroyed 100 per cent of all wastewater treatment plants and 70 per cent of all sewage pumps, as well as the main water quality testing laboratories in Gaza, and restricted the entry of Oxfam water testing equipment.
Gaza City has lost nearly all its water production capacity, with 88 per cent of its water wells and 100 per cent of its desalination plants damaged or destroyed.
The report also highlights the dire impact of this extreme lack of clean water and sanitation on Palestinians’ health, with more than a quarter (26 per cent) of Gaza’s population falling severely ill from easily preventable diseases.
Monther Shoblak, general manager of The Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU), which is responsible for water and sanitation in Gaza, said: “My colleagues and I have been living through a nightmare these past nine months, but we still feel it’s our responsibility and duty to ensure everybody in Gaza is getting their minimum right of clean drinking water.
“It’s been very difficult, but we are determined to keep trying – even when we witness our colleagues being targeted and killed while undertaking their work."
Halima Begum, Oxfam GB’s chief executive, said this is “yet more proof of the horrors being inflicted on the people of Gaza by the Israeli Government”.
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She added that Israel is using starvation and the “systematic deprivation of water” as a weapon of war.
“To any reasonable party, there can be little doubt that this represents a clear violation of international law,” Begum added.
“The impact on families in Gaza is unimaginable, from people being forced to drink polluted water to facing rivers of sewage in the streets.
“These appalling conditions are causing significant risk of dehydration and creating a breeding ground for the spread of disease, putting many more lives at risk.”
Earlier this week, the new Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire during a visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory amid pressure to halt UK arms sales to Israel.
Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie (above) told The National that the UK Government is “directly involved” by continuing to sell arms to Israel.
He added: “There are no two ways about it, what is happening in Gaza is a genocide of the Palestinian people.
“Using basic needs such as water as a tool of oppression is truly evil. The UK Government is directly involved in these acts by continuing to sell weapons to Israel, despite repeated warnings from the international community about the ongoing war crimes.
“The Foreign Secretary must end the flow of British weapons and military support to Israel and push for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.”
Independent MP Jeremy Corbyn (above), meanwhile, said "no country has the right to cut off food and water."
He added: "That is a war crime - which should be obvious to anybody who purports to know and support international law.
"We should never forget that several political leaders found this difficult to accept, and while some may have finally started to backtrack on their equivocation, they should be ashamed of the inhumanity they endorsed.
"If they had any integrity, they would mourn the thousands of human beings who have been starved by their moral and political cowardice. They would drop any challenge to the ICC’s application for an arrest warrant against Netanyahu. And they would call for an end to the roots of this endless violence: the occupation of Palestine."
SNP MP Brendan O’Hara (below) said that as early as January this year, former foreign secretary David Cameron said Israel “should just turn the water back on”, and that this shows he knew Israel had "intentionally turned it off".
“The withholding of water and food constituted a war crime," he added.
"The IPC has been clear that there is a famine occurring in Gaza. With Tel-Aviv less than 40 miles away, where food is plentiful, this famine and catastrophic loss of human life is clearly due to the calculated intention of the Israeli Government."
“In January, the ICJ ordered Israel to take all measures to prevent harm to civilians, including facilitating the deliverance of aid, and preventing incitement to genocide. The total disregard of this order by Israel demonstrates that they have no interest or intention in protecting civilian life.
"The international community and the Labour Government must now double down in a concerted effort to protect innocent Palestinians.
”The SNP reiterates our calls for an immediate ceasefire, for Labour to follow through on its promise to recognise the State of Palestine, for the immediate suspension of arms sales to Israel.
"Furthermore, we call on Labour to imminently resume funding to UNWRA, a commitment that the Foreign Secretary made whilst in Opposition. Unless we see these immediate measures, the Labour Government will be standing by and allowing the Israeli Government to commit flagrant breaches of international law with impunity."
A spokesperson for the Israeli embassy said: "Israel is a state of law and acts according to international law. Israel does not act to harm innocents in a deliberate manner, unlike the terrorist organisation Hamas.
"Any accusation in this spirit is baseless, and serves to demonise the world's only Jewish state."
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