palestine
Credit: Mohammed Ibrahim/Unsplash
Israeli actions in Gaza and the West Bank drive global increase in water-related violence
Israeli attacks on Palestinian water infrastructure in 2023 made up a quarter of global water-related violence, as conflicts over dwindling resources surged worldwide.
In short:
- Water-related violence globally increased by 50% in 2023, with nearly 350 documented conflicts.
- Israel's destruction of Palestinian water supplies was a significant contributor, particularly in Gaza and the West Bank.
- Latin America, the Caribbean and India also saw sharp rises in water conflicts due to drought and disputes over access.
Key quote:
“There was a massive uptick in violence over water in 2023, widely around the world, but especially in the Middle East.”
— Peter Gleick, co-founder of the Pacific Institute.
Why this matters:
As climate change exacerbates water scarcity, conflicts over access to water are becoming more frequent and severe, threatening the stability of already volatile regions. The ongoing violence endangers millions who rely on these critical resources for survival.
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Credit: slidezero/Big Stock Photo
Israel's Gaza war disrupts climate cooperation with Jordan
An ambitious climate deal between Israel and Jordan, known as Project Prosperity, has collapsed due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
In short:
- Project Prosperity aimed to exchange Israel's water surplus for electricity from Jordan's solar farms, but the October 7 Hamas attack halted progress.
- Jordan, heavily affected by regional instability, canceled the deal and is accelerating its own desalination project to ensure water security.
- The collapse of the deal highlights the broader impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on regional cooperation and climate initiatives.
Key quote:
“Why would we collaborate with someone killing us and controlling our resources? How can I collaborate with someone occupying me? Controlling me?”
— Anonymous Palestinian official
Why this matters:
The conflict disrupts not only political relations but also crucial climate cooperation in a region severely affected by water scarcity and climate change. Without such collaborations, effective climate adaptation in the Middle East becomes even more challenging.
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The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a looming climate crisis
The Middle East is warming, Israeli and Palestinian focus on politics trumps concern for impending climate catastrophe.
Coral reproduction decreases in deep water, Israeli study shows
Findings contradict popular belief deep reefs can serve as 'lifeline' for degraded shallow reefs in bid to fend off effects of climate change on marine life.
Photo by Raimond Klavins on Unsplash
Israeli, Palestinian officials agree to cooperate on climate change
A senior Palestinian negotiator called for increased regional cooperation on climate change, including with Israel, at Wednesday's climate conference in Jerusalem.
Photo by Ahmed Abu Hameeda on Unsplash
Gershom Gorenberg: While Israelis and Palestinians fight, climate change threatens the land
Israelis and Palestinians should be devoting much of our attention to whether any of us will be able to live here in 2048.
www.ynetnews.com
Where has Israel's winter gone?
As Europe shivers in cold and rain, Israelis are enjoying balmy, dry weather, and while this is nothing unusual, global warming is making warm winters even more extreme.
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