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[SlyPokerDog]

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Amnesty International released an article about the Occupation of Water.

Basically, Israel made it illegal for Palestinians in the West Bank to build wells, install pumps, or develop water infrastructure without Israeli permits (which is almost impossible to obtain). They even prohibit rainwater harvesting, yes Fucking RAIN WATER is illegal in the West Bank for Palestinians

 

[2Fluffy4U]

Amnesty International released an article about the Occupation of Water.

Basically, Israel made it illegal for Palestinians in the West Bank to build wells, install pumps, or develop water infrastructure without Israeli permits (which is almost impossible to obtain). They even prohibit rainwater harvesting, yes Fucking RAIN WATER is illegal in the West Bank for Palestinians

The Amnesty article is worth engaging with seriously, but it's missing a crucial piece of context that changes the picture significantly.

The restrictions on wells, pumps, and water infrastructure apply specifically to Area C of the West Bank — the roughly 60% of the West Bank that remained under full Israeli civil and military control under the Oslo II Accords. That was the agreed-upon arrangement, pending final status negotiations that were supposed to happen and never did. In Area C, any construction — not just water infrastructure, but any building — requires Israeli permits, which are indeed extremely difficult to obtain. That's a legitimate grievance worth discussing.

For example, Ramallah is in Area A — fully administered by the Palestinian Authority. Palestinians there can and do build water infrastructure without Israeli permits. The PA is responsible for civil affairs including water in Areas A and B. So the framing that Israel made it illegal "for Palestinians in the West Bank" as a blanket statement is misleading — it conflates Area C specifically with the entire West Bank.

The real story is: Oslo created a temporary division that was never resolved, left the majority of land (and most water sources) under Israeli control indefinitely, and the permit system in Area C has been used to severely restrict Palestinian development there. That's the actual, serious problem — not a blanket ban on all Palestinians everywhere in the West Bank.

Amnesty is activist reporting. It's not always wrong, but it often strips context that would complicate the narrative.

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[riverman]

When it comes to water rights we're extremely hypocritical. The US has damned the rivers that fed Northern Mexico for many many decades, turning northern Mexico into a dust bowl essentially. If Canada did that to our rivers we'd go to war over it. Water has been an issue with Palestinians for a long time. That's not new information. I think it's a crime against humanity for us or Israel to deprive people of water rights. We essentially take water resources and water golf courses or fuel hydro electric plants with them at the border.

 

[Sheldon Shape]

 

[BigGameDamian]