Abeer Butmeh: Living on the Front Lines of a War and the Climate Crisis, in Palestine
Nov 14, 2023
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Abeer Butmeh, coordinator of the Palestinian NGOs Network, discusses battling for survival when your identity is criminalized. Topics include Israeli settlements, movement restrictions, blockades in Gaza, power dynamics, environmental impact of the occupation, and challenges faced by Palestinian environmental defenders.
The Israeli military's actions, such as the establishment of settlements and restrictions on water resources, contribute to environmental violations and affect Palestinian communities.
The environmental crisis in Gaza, caused by the illegal blockade and limited access to water resources, has resulted in severe water shortages and damage to agricultural land.
Deep dives
The Intersection of Militarization, Environmental Issues, and the Occupation
This podcast episode explores the intersection of militarization, environmental issues, and the occupation in Palestine. It discusses the historical background of the Israel-Palestine conflict, including the displacement of Palestinians and the impact on the environment. The episode highlights how the Israeli military's actions, such as the establishment of settlements and restrictions on water resources, contribute to environmental violations and affect Palestinian communities. It also emphasizes the importance of sovereignty over land and water resources for climate change adaptation. Despite the challenges faced by Palestinian environmental defenders, the episode highlights their resilience and efforts to provide basic infrastructure, support agricultural practices, and raise awareness about the environmental struggle in Palestine.
The Devastating Impact on Gaza: Blockade, Water Crisis, and Environmental Catastrophe
This episode delves into the environmental crisis in Gaza caused by the illegal blockade, limited access to water resources, and targeted attacks on infrastructure. It highlights the severe shortage of clean water, with 97% of water in Gaza being unsuitable for human use. The restrictions on equipment and materials necessary for water infrastructure development worsen the situation. The episode also discusses the damage to agricultural land, including the burning of olive trees by Israeli settlers, chemical spraying to create buffer zones, and destruction of clean energy projects. The environmental catastrophe in Gaza is a result of long-term collective punishment imposed by the Israeli occupation, impacting the lives and future of the people living there.
Implications of Greenwashing and Violations Against Palestinian Environmental Defenders
This episode sheds light on the concept of greenwashing in Israel's occupation and its impact on the Palestinian environment. It explores how Israel portrays itself as eco-friendly while engaging in practices that harm the environment and violate Palestinian rights. The episode highlights the control of water resources, the destruction of agricultural projects, and the replacement of native trees with foreign ones. It also discusses the challenges faced by Palestinian environmental defenders, including imprisonment, harassment, restrictions on movement, and control of information. Despite these violations, Palestinian environmental activists continue their fight for environmental rights and develop projects to enhance Palestinian resilience and seed-fastness.
Abeer Butmeh, coordinator of the Palestinian NGOs Network, one of the most important Palestinian environmental organizations, spoke to senior editor Alleen Brown about battling for short-term and long-term survival when your identity itself is criminalized.