NEVE ILAN: The Central Galilee is known for its expansive open spaces, nature reserves and breathtaking views, but these won’t last long if action isn’t taken to organize proper waste removal and upgrade outdated sewage pipes that overflow into rivers. The severe environmental hazards caused by lack of proper waste removal do not conform to municipal boundaries and as a result, residents of both weak and affluent towns — Jewish and Arab — suffer alike.
Yet the degradation of the Galilee offers Jews and Arabs an opportunity to work together towards diminishing local environmental hazards and improving the quality of life for all of the residents in the area.
A recently published survey of hazards in the Galilee which appraised both Jewish and Arab towns in the region, noted that Jewish and Arab municipalities differ widely in terms of economic, social and other capabilities. In the Arab municipalities the hazards have been ongoing for many years due to lack of infrastructure, funding for maintenance, public awareness, and law enforcement. These differences have a direct impact on the state of environment protection in each municipality and the number and types of hazards found.
For many years, the government has turned a blind eye to Arab municipalities’ inability to deal adequately with environmental hazards. One case to look at is that of Shaghur — an Arab city comprised of 3 villages; Majd Al-Krum, Deir Al-Asad and Bi’ina. The infrastructure in the area is outdated and insufficient for the amount of people living there, and in some places there has been no adequate planning. The consequence of this lack of infrastructure is the largest sewage hazard in the area, running through the Shaghur stream. A solution for this hazard was found, but the work wasn’t carried out because in 2008, after a failed attempt to merge the three villages, the Shaghur municipality was broken up and there was no-one to take responsibility for executing the job. In addition, a debt had been incurred and there was no funding to implement the solution. Consequently, noxious odors, mosquitoes, diseases and water pollution continue to plague the area, affecting not only the residents of Shaghur, but also those of Karmiel and Misgav.
Jewish and Arab local councils must now join together to compel the central government to take responsibility and resolve the critical situation in the area. Without joint action, pressure will be insufficient and problems will only deteriorate and become more difficult and expensive to deal with.
Initial steps are underway. In the last few months, officials from Arab and Jewish municipalities in the Central Galilee attended a seminar on the findings of the aforementioned survey. The Forum for Environmental Justice, an organization active in the Central Galilee that works with Jewish and Arab municipalities, plans to implement the solutions suggested, which include sorting and grinding of construction waste and removal of non-recyclable waste to authorized underground sites.
The responsibility for solving these environmental problems rests with both the local authorities and central government and there are several ways to improve their performance in this regard. One possibility is the establishment of regional forums where local governments can develop collaborative efforts based on a regional approach to environmental responsibility. This would reinforce ties between the municipalities and promote joint solutions. Since a large proportion of the problems stems from a lack of funding in Arab municipalities, until the situation is improved it may be better to transfer the authority to enforce and maintain environmental infrastructure to an external, specifically designated regional entity which would be funded directly by the central government.
It is vital when addressing environmental hazards that attention is paid not only to the measurable aspects of environmental issues, but also to the community’s perception of these issues, and the social, historical, political, economic, and logistical factors affecting their resolution.
Regarding the obvious issues of responsibility and enforcement, the government can take responsibility for the current waste removal and secondly, police officers should be instated to pursue anyone who breaks the law and dumps waste outside of dumping grounds.
To address issues of perception and develop an appreciation for the importance of preserving the environment we recommend setting up an environmental educational program and engage both Jewish and Arab communities in activities dedicated to caring for the shared environment. This would not only stem the environmental hazards, but could create a much needed platform for improving Jewish-Arab relations in the Galilee.
Amnon Be’eri Sulitzeanu currently serves as the Co-Executive Director of the Abraham Fund Initiatives, a non-profit organization that works to promote a shared future between Israel’s Arab and Jewish citizens. This article is published by the Common Ground News Service (CGNews).
