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Press Release

 A serious environmental and health crisis lurks due to Israeli obstruction of the repairing of the sewage network in Rafah

Date: 25 June 2002

Ref.: 89/2002

PCHR is warning that an environmental and humanitarian crisis is lurking in Rafah refugee camp after Rafah municipality has been prevented from repairing the sewage system partly destroyed during an Israeli incursion in April. The Health and Sewage Unit in the municipality has been trying to repair the system several times since it was damaged but failed to do so due to Israeli soldiers shooting at the workers trying to repair the damages.      

The sewage network damaged is located at the border with Egypt, and is transferring the sewage away from Bloc O where about 5.000 people live, as well as from the areas close to Salah El-Dein Gate, Omar Bin el-Khatab street and Elqasas neighborhood. The system was damaged during an incursion into the area by Israeli occupation forces at the beginning of April. According to PCHR’s information the system has not been working since and the waste water is now flooding the streets and is running towards the houses. The continual refusal of the Israeli occupation forces to allow the municipality to repair it increases the chances for the outbreak of diseases among the more than 5.000 inhabitants of the areas. The refusal by the Israeli occupation forces to allow the repairing of the system comes despite of the fact that there is already a co-ordination between the Palestinian Authorities (PNA) and Israel on this matter.  

PCHR is deeply concerned about the environmental and health situation in the above mentioned areas and calls upon the international community, the United Nations bodies and international agencies to immediately interfere to force Israel to allow Rafah municipality to repair the damages in the system in order to avoid a serious health and environmental crisis.

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