Thursday afternoon, the University of Michigan Department of Earth and Environmental Studies, Canopy Sustainability Magazine, and the TAHRIR Coalition held a teach-in and luncheon in an Earth and Environmental Department classroom at the North University Building. The event included a lecture and discussion to educate attendees on the environmental consequences of Israel’s military war in Gaza.
Jenan Kharbush, assistant professor of earth and environmental sciences, and LSA junior Abigail Kohn, a representative from the TAHRIR Coalition, gave a presentation on how Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has impacted Palestinian water supplies, increased deforestation, and harmed biodiversity. Ninety percent of Gaza’s water is undrinkable, with a contaminated aquifer serving as the region’s sole source of water.
“There is the destruction that occurs as a result of war,” Kharbush went on to say. “There is also intentional destruction. The objective is to make the land uninhabitable so that people would leave. Water control is related to the final goal.”
Kharbush emphasized the use of white phosphorus bombs throughout the battle, which is leading to an ongoing “ecocide” in Gaza. White phosphorus, which is carefully restricted due to its propensity to cause severe pain and life-threatening damage, burns when in contact with air and cannot be extinguished with water.
“White phosphorus is illegal to be used in civilian areas,“ Karbush stated. “It is not illegal to say, ‘I’m going to burn this forest or attack this military target.'” So there is a legal gap.
Kharbush went on to explain how Israel’s separation barrier, which separates Gaza from the West Bank, has damaged the region’s habitats and environment, highlighting the negative consequences on biodiversity.
“(The barrier) is impacting the movement of wildlife, and so you are reducing the biodiversity of animal life,” Kharbush went on to say.
In an interview with The Michigan Daily, LSA junior Cory Plotzke stated that, as an environmental science major, his academic interests led him to this event.
“I always look into the intersection between environmental sustainability, and other social issues that disproportionately affect people,” she remarked. “This is the first (event) that covered the environmental aspect of (the Israeli military campaign in Gaza), which I think is really important and gives you a lot more details about how the conflict impacts (environmental issues).”
The presentation also emphasized the fact that 60% of Gazans are currently food insecure as a result of the Israeli government’s fishing restrictions, as well as the high cost of water for Palestinian farmers. Plotzke stated that he was particularly interested in how Israel could handle water.
“The monopolization of water by the Israel state-owned company is crazy to me,” Plotzke told the crowd. “They colonized land and then are taking that water and selling it back to the people.”
Plotzke stated that he aims to continue bringing an environmental justice perspective to talks regarding Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
“I definitely think that incorporating this EJ — the perspective of environmental justice — is crucial to furthering these conversations,” Plotzke told the crowd.
In an interview with The Daily, Kharbush expressed concern about the war’s long-term impact on the Gaza environment.
“The longer this goes on, the rebuilding efforts and the cleanup will take decades at this point,” Mr. Karbush stated.