Gaza's Polluted Sea

The ecosystem services that come from the ocean are valuable to the people of Gaza. Because of the political crisis, the Palestinian President asked Israel to cut the power supply to Gaza in order to prevent further feuding. However, this inadvertently lead to raw and partially treated sewage being leaked into the sea since the beginning of the summer. Not only has the pollution lead to beaches being closed due to safety concerns, but fisherman already struggling to make a living are facing even greater hardships now. Seafood like crabs cannot be harvested because of the pollution. Consumers refuse to buy any seafood, even fished from outside of the polluted area, for fear of contamination. With seafood being the main export of Gaza, it is very difficult for many people to make a livelihood, especially during the political instability. The goal is to use solar power in the future in the case of power cuts which would allow for waste treatment to continue, however the war and economic state are preventing this from happening.

This article shows the interconnectedness of conflict, the environment, and economics. In this case, the conflict created the environmental disaster which then impacted the economy. Without their fishing industry, withstanding the conflict becomes even more difficult because the country has lost its export. Although renewable energy has been suggested to prevent future incidences from occurring, these systems will not be installed for years to come, making the continued pollution of the sea inevitable. The cleanliness of the sea is the base of Gaza’s industry and recreation, and without this they are economically disadvantaged.

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/the-sea-once-provided-a-breath-of-fresh-air-for-gaza-now-it-stinks/2017/09/27/43049342-98e3-11e7-af6a-6555caaeb8dc_story.html?utm_term=.c0405f9d6ae4