By: Firas Taweel

https://www.maan-ctr.org/magazine/article/4518/

An Israeli garbage dump in a village west of Ramallah (Environmental Quality Authority)

Exclusive to Environment and Development Horizons (Afaq magazine):

Israel is transferring its waste to the West Bank, turning Palestinian lands into a massive landfill for toxic waste. On one hand, Israel systematically transports its waste to official Israeli companies that operate landfills and incinerators in the West Bank. On the other hand, Israel facilitates the growth of major smuggling networks in the south of Hebron to burn electronic waste, developing a black market that generates approximately $28.5 million in annual profits for its operators. However, this has created a true environmental disaster, prompting settler organizations to call for the imposition of Israeli sovereignty over these areas—areas originally established by what is known as the Israeli Civil Administration, according to a report published by “Madar” the Palestinian Forum for Israeli Studies.

A Massive Landfill

Israel exploits the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967 to establish waste treatment facilities for its waste, instead of processing it within the 1948 territories. Hazardous waste—including sludge from wastewater treatment, medical waste, used oils, solvents, metals, electronic waste, and batteries—is transported to the West Bank, turning it into a "landfill " or a “sacrifice zone” for Israeli waste.

The "sacrifice zone " hypothesis refers to an illegal and unethical practice carried out by companies in "developed" countries with strict environmental regulations. These companies export their polluting waste to countries or regions with weak environmental governance. These companies aim to reduce environmental compliance costs, which leads to environmental degradation in the host countries and increases global environmental inequality.

However, in the Palestinian context, the term "sacrifice zone" does not describe a relationship between a developed country (Israel) and a weak host state (the West Bank), but rather a complex colonial relationship.

Israel views the West Bank as a space for Israeli settlement expansion. Accordingly, the infrastructure related to waste collection, disposal, and recycling within the settlements is advanced, providing a greener and safer environment. In contrast, Israel exploits Palestinian communities and neighborhoods located far from settlements, turning them into landfills that are considered the most hazardous in the Middle East. These sites allow Israel to develop its displacement tools through environmental means, as they lead to environmental and health disasters, including groundwater contamination and the destruction of animal and plant life.

On another note, Israel suppresses any efforts by the Palestinian Authority, already an unorganized body in terms of waste management, to develop the solid waste and wastewater sectors. It actively ensures that Palestinian waste recycling or disposal infrastructure is not developed. This enables the so-called Israeli Civil Administration to manage the environmental gap between Israelis and Palestinians as another means of creating an unlivable reality for Palestinians—one that could become even more pronounced in the future with population growth and escalating health risks.

Furthermore, due to the occupation’s policies in managing this widening environmental gap, right-wing settler organizations place the blame on the Palestinian Authority, ignoring the repressive Israeli legislation. These groups call for the imposition of Israeli environmental laws even in Areas "A" and "B" (as designated by the Oslo Accords).

In addition to dumping waste from Israeli industrial zones located in the West Bank, these companies are responsible for transferring nearly 350,000 tons of hazardous waste annually from inside Israel to the West Bank. While the occupying state enforces strict environmental standards within its own borders, it allows settlements in the West Bank to operate waste treatment facilities under less strict regulations. This makes it cheaper and more cost-effective for companies to run such operations in the West Bank rather than inside Israel.

The Israeli government also provides tax exemptions and direct financial support to companies that relocate their waste treatment operations to the settlements. A report by the Israeli organization B'Tselem reveals that no official information is published regarding the amount of waste transferred to the West Bank or its environmental impact. This lack of transparency effectively prevents Palestinians from having any means to object to or regulate these activities.

Electronic Waste Smuggling Networks in Southern Hebron

One of the most dangerous types of waste handled in the West Bank is electronic waste smuggled from Israel, with an estimated 57 to 64 tons smuggled annually. This waste is burned to extract valuable metals such as copper, leading to extremely high levels of pollution. The health and environmental cost of this practice is estimated at around 242 million shekels per year. These burnings release hazardous pollutants such as dioxins, fine particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and carbon monoxide, which cause serious health problems, including respiratory diseases, heart conditions, and an increased risk of cancer. Both Palestinians and Israelis are affected by this pollution, depending on wind direction and how the contaminants spread through the air, according to a report by “Madar” the Palestinian Forum for Israeli Studies

The total health and economic losses from air pollution caused by waste burning in the West Bank are projected to reach 9.1 billion shekels between 2023 and 2030. In 2022 alone, the cost was estimated at between 880 million and 1.3 billion shekels, including losses in agricultural production, healthcare expenses, and environmental damage.

In southern Hebron, for more than 15 years, the majority of Israeli electronic waste has been collected and transported to four Palestinian villages: Beit Awwa, Deir Samet, Al-Koum, and I’thna. Historically, these areas were centers for second-hand goods trade, home to Palestinian “Alte Sachen” traders who collected used furniture from Israel before shifting to e-waste. These dangerous burning sites are part of a black market, with up to 40,000 tons of Israeli e-waste collected annually. This sector provides over 1,000 direct jobs, supports 380 businesses, and generates an estimated $28.5 million annually.

These burning sites are located in Area C, where the Palestinian Authority lacks control, and Israel rarely intervenes to regulate these activities. However, these villages are very close to the Green Line, making truck transport feasible and easing the smuggling of discarded electronic devices from Israeli settlements and urban areas into these zones.

Environmental Crisis or Political Excuse?

At the end of 2024, the right-wing organization "Yarok Achshav" submitted a report to the Israeli Ministry of Environmental Protection highlighting the damages caused by inadequate waste management and sewage treatment in the West Bank. The report ignored the deliberate role of the Israeli Civil Administration in intensifying these environmental issues and instead called for the imposition of Israeli legislation on Area "A".

According to the report, air pollution from illegal waste burning and groundwater pollution from inadequate sewage treatment cause annual losses estimated at 1.3 billion shekels, amounting to 26 billion shekels over 20 years if the problems remain unresolved. The report proposes spending around 3 billion shekels to address the issue, but suggests doing so through Israeli governance and deliberate intervention in Palestinian affairs, rather than lifting restrictions on the Palestinian Authority and allowing it, as stipulated by the Oslo Accords, to develop its solutions to environmental challenges.

The report further claims that around 700,000 Palestinians lack access to organized waste collection services, leading to widespread of random dumping and burning of waste, resulting in severe pollution. Palestinians have allegedly opened hundreds of unauthorized sites for dumping and burning waste, including electronic waste and vehicle parts, causing air, soil, and water contamination.

Regarding sewage management, the report states that the West Bank disposes of around 90 million cubic meters of sewage annually, with 80% coming from Areas "A" and "B" and other Palestinian communities. About 38 million cubic meters of sewage remain untreated, polluting rivers, groundwater, and threatening natural water sources. Meanwhile, Israeli settlements extensively treat their wastewater, reusing approximately 50% of the treated water for irrigation, while Palestinians are prohibited from developing similar infrastructure for their communities.

Translated by: Rasha Abu Dayyeh