GAZA NEEDS YOUR HELP NOW

desertpeace

Wadi Gaza Environmental Disaster needs Project Money for Emergency Care

Rehabilitation of cultural lands destroyed during war in Gaza
Financed by Gulf cooperation councils program for reconstruction of Gaza
Managed by the Islamic Development Bank
Implemented by Turkish Red Crescent
Beneficiary side Gaza Farmers

PalestineFreeVoice Images /1/7/ 2011

Photo Ibrahim abu  Jayyab

By Hiyam Noir GAZA - Gaza Valley ( Wadi Gaza),  is the only nature reserve in the coastal enclave, the valley area reaches across the central Gaza, from east to the west,uninterrupted continuing,towards the Mediterranean sea. Gaza Valley is a proposed nature reserve, but larger mammal's and birds are nearly extinct, so are the flowers, the trees and the clean ground water.The valley area was some years ago characterized by special environmental significance, had plants such as: "Al-Rotha", ammophila littoralis, "Al-Athel", as well as birds such as, "Al-Makhua", "Al-Tool",aquatic stork, sandpiper, snipe, coot, river ducks, "Al-Hathef", wild ducks and beautiful seagulls. In the outskirts were the power-station is located,the Gaza Valley have became a sewage, and a garbage dump for residents of Gaza and the occupant Israel. Israeli warplanes and tanks are ceaselessly shelling the area near the Gaza Valley with missiles and rockets. The ground has become a toxic dump, depleted with lethal chemical waste, such as lead and uranium, which has produced dangerous symptoms not only to the nature environment, but also to Gaza residents living in the area.

Despite of the dire situation in Gaza, social - environmental community groups, have decided to start cleanup-projects of the Gaza Valley.In November 2010, the GCC program for the reconstruction of Gaza, volunteered to assist Gaza farmers to cultivate their land next to the valley.

I asked one of the citizens who live in the Gaza Valley area, if he thinks the environment of the valley should be used as a garbage dump. Or does he believes that the Gaza Valley, need emergency help to be able to recover, and regain its purity, get rid of the contamination.The Gaza Valley earlier a green sanctuary,a reserved area in which the vegetation of flowers, plants, trees and the water,the  birds and other mammals thrived, must today be protected from neglect and over-exploitation by strong environmental laws.

GC: Gaza is a small land area, people are throwing waste in empty places of the Gaza Valley,the problem is, we do not have strong environmental laws,environmental perpetrators are not punished, we who live next to the valley are affected during the hot summer months by a bad odor,by flies and mosquitoes.

I asked,if he knows about any restoration projects which has strong support in the region?
GC: In the South Valley, as you know there is a project supported by the Gaza  Islamic Bank, to help farmers to grow trees, but the project has not yet began.

I asked him if he knows of other recovering project's?
GC: I only see this project, perhaps there will be other programs in the future? The Gaza Valley before 2004, was a large very beautiful garden, it was destroyed by contaminated sewage coming from Israeli settlements, as well as from Israeli missile shelling.

I repeat it again ;

As I have said many times before, and I will repeat it again: A sustainable management of Gaza nature resources can only  be achieved by changes in public policy and individual behavior. Gaza need to implement various strong environmental laws, and the Gaza authority must criminalize for example waste-dumping in nature environmental protected areas.

Sustainable management in Gaza and everywhere else, can only be accomplished  by supporting a base of sound practices such as not being wasteful, by recycling management, and by using clean renewable energy sources, solar power, wind power, hydro-electricity to biomass and bio-fuels for transportation.

Gaza nature and human environment are in imminent danger.

Again; Gaza authority need to implement strong environmental laws and punish environmental perpetrators.The practice of strong environmental laws are urgently needed not only in Gaza, but of course in every part of the world. Education in order to understand the significance of interaction with our natural resources and ecosystems and knowledge how to protect them. Sustainable energy programs, such as recycling practices, environmental protection and economic development goes hand in hand.

We can not put all the blame on Gaza authority, as to one's sense of right conduct, to be held liable and condemned are those who uphold support of a criminal Israeli occupation;  the interdiction of sea, air and land - the besieging, the wars on Gaza. Which is causing destruction of the infrastructure - the nature and economical environment, not aimed to improve the living environment of  Gaza, but willfully inflict harm to it's people - isolate, subdue and extinguish !
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Photo Journalism accredited to Ibrahim abu Jayyab

For information on how you can help, write to  hiyamnoir@gmail.com

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