Thirsty? How about an ice-cold glass of sewage-infested water?

On Saturday 31 July, Amnesty International members will be handing out free samples of bottled water to people in Dublin, Cork and Galway.The only trouble is that the water – like 90 percent of water available to Palestinians in Gaza, is filthy.

(The remains of a destroyed water cistern in a West bank town)

On a sizzling hot day in Ireland, all we have to do to cool off is reach for the tap. For Palestinians living in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, there’s no such relief. Almost 200,000 Palestinians living in the West Bank have no running water, making ordinary tasks, like washing and cooking, that we take for granted almost impossible.
Israeli settlers enjoy refreshing dips in brimming swimming pools while only miles away, Palestinian water reservoirs stand empty.
“The Israeli Government is deliberately taking water from Palestinians in the hope of driving them off their land,” said Amnesty International Campaigns Officer Eilís Ní Chaithnía.
“Diseases from drinking sewage-infested water are rife in parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territories because Israeli authorities restrict the water sources.”
To send a message to the Israeli authorities, Amnesty International will be doling out bottles of dirty water to thirsty passers-by this Saturday (31 July) - to see how we like it.
Eilís Ní Chaithnía will be on hand at the entrance to St Stephen’s Green, Dublin city centre at 2pm to give interviews and answer any questions about our “Thirst for Justice” campaign.
Volunteers will hand out free samples of bottled water in pairs, while also collecting signatures for a petition to the Israeli authorities demanding a fair share of water for Palestinian communities.
Amnesty International will also hold the day of action in Galway city, Cork city and Clonakilty this Saturday afternoon.
Amnesty International is calling on the Israeli government to ensure Palestinians get a fair share of the water supply.
Currently Israelis consume four times as much water per person as the Palestinian community does.
“The Irish Government needs to put pressure on Israel to ensure that it upholds international law by immediately lifting all restrictions on Palestinians' access to water,” said Eilís Ní Chaithnía.

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