The environmental injustices have understandably taken a back seat during the Palestinian genocide. But the Palestinian future depends on a healthy ecology, which is being serious threatened.
The environmental injustices have understandably taken a back seat during the Palestinian genocide. But the Palestinian future depends on a healthy ecology, which is being serious threatened.
Amidst the ongoing Israeli genocide in Palestine, there exists an unnoticed and unaddressed issue that rarely makes it to the front page: the alarming rise of greenhouse gas emissions. The environmental toll of the Israeli genocide, from the destruction of infrastructure to the displacement of communities, permeates every aspect of Palestinian life. Although it might seem trivial compared to the daily struggles for survival and sovereignty, the issue of greenhouse gas emissions poses a significant threat to Palestine’s future.
Israeli attacks, including airstrikes, bombings, and military incursions, have all resulted in extensive environmental damage throughout Palestinian territory. In addition to causing immediate harm to human life, the indiscriminate targeting of civilian infrastructure, including houses, schools, hospitals, and agricultural fields, also degrades the environment over time. The employment of explosives and heavy weapons damages habitats, contaminates soil, pollutes the air, upsets ecosystems, and weakens the resilience of Palestinian communities.
The main point of contention here is that aircraft releases significant carbon dioxide (CO2). These machines rely heavily on jet fuel, which is burned in large amounts during their missions. As a result, significant amounts of greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere with each flight. The Israeli airstrikes, carried out by both F-16s and F-35s, have contributed to a whopping 121,000 tons of CO2 emissions over a specified period. Additionally, the US supply planes that provide logistical support add another layer to this environmental burden, contributing 133,650 tons of CO2 emissions.
While jet emissions contribute to the environmental impact, they are just a small part of the bigger picture. Military bases scattered throughout the area release greenhouse gases daily through a variety of activities such as training exercises, drill sessions, and routine operations. The maritime component of military logistics is also significant, as naval vessels travel between bases, emitting large amounts of CO2 along the way.
The rising emissions caused by the Israeli genocide, including those from jets, military bases, and naval vessels, are contributing to the climate crisis and negatively impacting Palestine’s weather patterns, water resources, and agricultural productivity.
Impact on Weather Patterns
Palestine’s weather patterns are being seriously disrupted by the increasing emissions brought forth by the Israeli genocide. The build-up of greenhouse gases, chiefly CO2, traps heat in the atmosphere, causing changes in regional climate dynamics as well as worldwide warming.
The result of this disturbance is more unpredictable weather patterns, which are marked by longer droughts, more frequent and intense heat waves, and unpredictable rains. Such extreme weather occurrences have long-term effects on Palestine’s agriculture, water resources, and public health, in addition to posing immediate threats to infrastructure and human safety.
Water Resources Depletion
The emissions caused by genocide worsen Palestine’s water shortage, which is already a problem in an area where freshwater supplies are scarce because of environmental deterioration and geopolitical unrest. Changes in precipitation patterns brought forth by the instability of climatic patterns lower total rainfall and exacerbate drought situations. Additionally, when temperatures rise, evaporation rates quicken, and surface water reservoirs and groundwater aquifers are progressively depleted. Palestinian communities are thus more vulnerable to water insecurity, sanitary issues, and worse public health.
Agricultural Productivity Disruption
Millions of Palestinians depend on farming for their livelihoods, and the climate catastrophe brought on by growing emissions poses a danger to Palestine’s agricultural production. The frequency of extreme weather events, temperature variations, and precipitation brought about by the changing climate disrupts conventional agricultural operations and lowers crop yields. Because they thrive in warmer climates, pests and illnesses further undermine agricultural productivity, worsening food shortages and financial hardship. Furthermore, Palestinian farmers are rendered more vulnerable as a result of the Israeli genocide destroying infrastructure and agricultural land; this weakens their ability to withstand shocks connected to the climate crisis and prolongs cycles of poverty and hardship.
Health Impacts and Vulnerable Populations
Children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing medical disorders are among the vulnerable groups whose health is significantly at risk due to the combination of environmental degradation, water scarcity, and extreme weather events. Heat-related illnesses grow more prevalent as temperatures rise, whereas waterborne infections become more common in places with poor sanitation and little access to clean water. In addition, the devastation of houses and uprooting of communities brought about by Israeli genocide increases the susceptibility of marginalized populations, placing them at higher risk of starvation, infectious illnesses, and mental health problems.
A serious and heinous instance of environmental injustice and human rights breaches is this Israeli genocide. Israeli aggression causes long-lasting ecological damage that compromises the resilience and well-being of Palestinian communities, in addition to causing bodily suffering through the targeted bombing of vital infrastructure and the careless bombardment of residential areas. Beyond the obvious devastation, Israeli bombings have a significant negative impact on the environment, contaminating water supplies, degrading agricultural land, and upsetting delicate ecosystems. Furthermore, the fact that Palestinians bear a disproportionate share of the blame for environmental damage highlights the systematic discrimination and oppression that are part of the Israeli occupation and deprives Palestinians of their basic rights to life, dignity, and self-determination.
Climate justice extends beyond environmental conservation to become a basic human rights concern, particularly in Palestine where the Israeli genocide has exacerbated environmental deterioration. Significant environmental injustices brought about by the ongoing genocide in Palestine have made the already precarious circumstances that Palestinian communities endure worse. By demonstrating our support for these communities and elevating their voices, we can increase public awareness of the environmental issues they face and galvanize support for significant action.
It is our responsibility to acknowledge the interdependence of Palestine’s environmental, social, and political elements and to collaborate in the pursuit of a climate justice vision that preserves the rights and dignity of every individual. As we work to build a society where everyone, regardless of nationality or origin, may live in peace with their environment and achieve their goals for a brighter future, let us dedicate ourselves to the ideals of justice, equality, and solidarity.
