arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)

RAMALLAH RUBBISH - HELP!!

by Alex Mcna Saturday, Nov. 09, 2002 at 5:23 PM

Israeli settlers have occupied the Ramallah municipal rubbish dumping site. As a result huge amounts of solid waste are accumulated all around Al Bireh City creating human health and environmental hazards. Protests need to be raised at the highest level. The Israelis are intent on killing Palestinian civil society...

URGENT APPEAL

Since October 2000, the Israeli Authorities declared military order regarding closing Al-Bireh municipality disposal site. This disposal site was used by most of the population in the Ramallah-Bireh Governorate for the past twenty years. Consequently the large municipalities Ramallah and Al Bireh are forced to use Ramallah abandoned dumpsite. Ramallah dumpsite was closed by Ramallah municipality due to overloading and its location near the industrial and residential areas, in addition to its health-related problems, and its environmental conditions. After two years of receiving huge amounts of solid waste, Ramallah dumpsite is under serious environmental and health risks in addition to the fear of land sliding and collapsing in the coming winter. Therefore, Ramallah municipality stops receiving Al Bireh municipality solid waste. As a result huge amounts of solid waste are accumulated all around Al Bireh City creating human health and environmental hazards.

The Palestine Environmental Quality Authority (EQA) in Cooperation with other Palestinian institutions tried several times to solve the problem of closing Al Bireh disposal site with the Israeli Authorities, but unfortunately nothing happened on the ground and the disposal site is still closed. On Tuesday 22/10/2002, the Israeli Authorities gave permission to open Al Bireh disposal site but, the Israeli Settlers in Bsaqot Settlement close it simultaneously and rejecting the interference of the military orders. This has lead for accumulation of Solid wastes in allover Al Bireh city, which already creating human and environmental hazards and risks. Consequently, EQA and municipalities of Ramallah and Al Bireh Urgently Appeals all United Nation institutions, human rights institutions, national and International institutions and Governmental Authorities to force Israeli Authorities for opening Al Bireh disposal site and stopping the settlers activities there, in order to prevent further serious health and environmental hazards and problems in Ramallah-Al Bireh Governorate.

It is time to know who is in charge, the Israeli Settlers or the Israeli Government?!