Issues Home About Contact Us Issue 4 - October 2012 عربى
Regional Developments

Israel’s Unlawful Exploitation of the Natural Resources in OPT

On 3 September 2012, al-Haq: Law in the Service of Man issued a reported, titled “Pillage of the Dead Sea: Israel’s Unlawful Exploitation of Natural Resources in Occupied Palestinian Territory.” This report discusses the Israeli occupation’s exploitation of Palestinian natural resources for the benefit of Israel’s domestic economy and Israeli colonial settlers. The report analyzes these actions in breach of international humanitarian law under and the occupying Power’s obligation to administer the natural resources belonging to the people of the oPt without damaging or diminishing them, or preventing the Palestinians in the oPt to benefit from those resources.

This report includes information on various forms of land grabbing by the Israeli occupation authorities and civilian population, preventing Palestinians from accessing their land, water and other natural and productive resources. While Palestinians are severely restricted, the colonial settlers and Israeli companies are given significant advantages in utilizing the Dead Sea resources.

This unlawful extraction has become excessive and threatens the environment of the entire Dead Sea area. In its report, al-Haq calls on the European Union to enforce current restrictions on the import of Israeli products originating from settlements, and urges retailers to disclose the precise origin of products they sell, in order to allow consumers to make an informed choice about purchases.

In an interview ShawanJabarin, the general director of al-Haq, emphasized how the Israeli authoritiesdeprive Palestinians of access to their natural resources across the occupied territory by, particularly in the occupied Dead Sea area. Through companies such Ahava Dead Sea Laboratories Ltd., Israel derives considerable economic benefit from the natural resources found in the occupied Dead Sea. According to Jabarin, the occupying authorities “should be considered as primary perpetrators of the war crime of pillage.”

For further details: download the report


Back
 

All rights reserved to HIC-HLRN