The Palestinian lands are dressed in green these days before the official coming of Spring reflecting the beauty of the usurped homeland.
However this beautiful image is distorted by the Israeli practices the most notable of which is pumping the sewage water of settlements and industrial areas into Palestinian lands.
A green robe
In the Palestinian Jordan Valley located along the borders between Palestine and Jordan green lands stretch unusually over large areas due to environmental changes.
In Fasayil valley which is located in the province of Jericho to the east of Aqraba town large areas of grasslands and mountains can be noticed covered with green grass and plants attracting school trips family outings and exploration groups from all over the West Bank.
Vast stretches of plains and mountain foothills cover Sadd Huraiz area to the east of Aqraba town and suffer from the large inflow of the waste water of Ma’ale Adumim settlement and its industrial areas. The foul odors of the sewage water as well as the chemical materials it contains resulted in killing the plants in the valley and spoiling the beauty of the area.
The spread of epidemics
The researcher Hamza Aqrabawi who accompanies dozens of tourist groups and activists in exploration groups said that the sewage water pollutes the environment because it mingles with the spring water and spreads epidemics among migrating birds which find refuge in the mountains and foothills nearby especially in Zaqazqa valley.
For his part Abdullah al-Qablawi who was touring in the area said “Everything is beautiful here except for the wastewater stream which ruined this fascinating view.”
This phenomenon is not limited to the areas of the Jordan Valley. Wadi Qana and Wadi Kafr al-Dik of Salfit province also suffer from the waste water of Burkan settlement.
Despite the damage and the pollution the Palestinian environment is exposed to many Palestinian groups are active in exploring the occupied Palestinian areas delivering a message about holding on to their homeland and its identity.
