South African water conference called off amid protest at Israel’s role

February 20th, 2016

Awake Goy

Israel’s 2011 destruction of this reservoir in Hebron is one of many cases in which the Palestinians’ access to water has been severely curtailed.

Najeh Hahlamoun
APA images

A South African conference on water has been canceled following protests against the planned participation of an Israeli diplomat.

Arthur Lenk, Israel’s ambassador to South Africa, was scheduled to take part in a “water summit” on 26 February.

Lenk’s involvement prompted one of the main speakers, Lorenzo Fioramonti from the University of Pretoria, to withdraw.

The conference was being organized by the Mail and Guardian newspaper, in cooperation with the South African government. It has now been called off.

Fioramonti, a political economist, said he believed it was “necessary” to support Palestinian and Israeli activists “seeking just and sustainable peace.” Backing Palestinian calls for an academic boycott of Israel, he issued a statement announcing his withdrawal from the conference.

As part of its “public relations” work, Israel has been promoting itself as a global leader in water technology. That has been exemplified by recent comments from the Israeli embassy in South Africa.

Despite the cancelation of the summit, Michael Freeman, the deputy ambassador, said Israel was “willing to share expertise to help South Africa with its drought problems.”

Notorious for stealing

In reality, Israel’s water policies are characterized by racism.

A 2013 report commissioned by the United Nations Human Rights Council found that Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank face “chronic shortages” of water, while nearby Israeli settlements enjoy a constant supply.

About 80 percent of all water drilled in the West Bank’s Jordan Valley is consumed by Israel and its settlements, all of which are illegal under international law. Many Palestinian wells and springs have dried up due to deep water drillings by Israel’s national water company Mekorot and agri-food companies.

Fioramonti argued that the discriminatory nature of Israeli water policies must not be concealed. “Hiding this through a pseudo-technical debate about water technology would be unacceptable,” he told The Daily Vox website.

Patrick Bond, a professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, also said that Israeli diplomats should not have been invited to the “summit.”

In an interview with the Radio Islam channel, Bond argued that Israel was “notorious for stealing Palestinians’ water and also despoiling the water system.”

Comments

Thank you, South Africa.

Permalink maggie replied on Fri, 02/19/2016 – 15:37

Thank you, South Africa. Israel needs to be banned, shunned, boycotted, divested from, and sanctioned at every opportunity. The world needs to do the right thing and condemn Israel for their savage war crimes against the Palestinians.

Israeli war crimes

Permalink Tess replied on Fri, 02/19/2016 – 20:32

I agree entirely with you Maggie.

Israeli Water Expertise

Permalink Gary Crethers replied on Fri, 02/19/2016 – 16:02

While I agree that Israel has developed its expertise in water conservation at the expense of the Palestinian population, nonetheless they are experts in the field and it would benefit South Africa to take advantage of the technical ability of Israel. No doubt the economic realities will trump the political stand of the academics, noble as they may be. Governmental and industrial deal making with Israeli firms must have an incentive for Israel to change its policies towards the Palestinians by encouraging behaviors that meet international norms and move away from the institutional apartheid in effect in the Palestinian Bantustans. Thus I suggest engagement with Israel but with clear policy mandates that if Israel is to do business in South Africa for instance, that there must be a measurable move to bring a just solution to the Palestinian crisis.

Only an absolute repudiation

Permalink maggie replied on Fri, 02/19/2016 – 17:33

Only an absolute repudiation of Israel’s apartheid is acceptable to decent people. Israel has broken every agreement and ceasefire they have ever engaged in and they are are immune to the “encouraging behaviors” you are suggesting. Only absolute and punishing boycotts, sanctions, and divestment will get Israel’s attention.

Apartheid is a crime

Permalink Adri Nieuwhof replied on Fri, 02/19/2016 – 18:40

The response to the acts of the crime of apartheid committed by the state of Israel should be that other states hold Israel to account. However, Israel can continue to commit international crimes with impunity. Europe’s soft approach of motivating Israeli governments to bring about change has had no effect. On the contrary, the situation of the Palestinian people living in the West Bank and Gaza has worsened.

BDS, including an academic boycot, is a tool for conscientious organizations and citizens to act where their governments fail.

If South African water experts need foreign assistance, there are alternatives to Israel.