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Middle East — Israel’s Treatment of Foreigners Refugees, Water Scarcity & Camps

Middle East — Israel’s Treatment of Foreigners: Refugees, Water Scarcity & Camps

Facts & Timeline

  • Palestinian displacement: Since 1948, more than 5.9 million Palestinians are registered as refugees with UNRWA, many living in camps in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. (UNRWA)

  • Asylum seekers in Israel: About 30,000 African asylum seekers, mainly from Eritrea and Sudan, live in Israel. Many fled war or persecution but face detention, restricted work rights, and lack of formal refugee status.  (NewArab)

  • Water disparity: Palestinians in the West Bank often receive less than 80 liters per day, below WHO’s recommended 100 liters, while Israeli settlers consume several times more. (B’Tselem)

  • Gaza water crisis: Over 95% of Gaza’s water is undrinkable due to aquifer depletion, contamination, and conflict damage. (Unicef)

  • Camp conditions: Refugee camps in Lebanon and the West Bank often suffer overcrowding, unemployment, and poor sanitation. (UNRWA Lebanon)

Current Situation

  • Weaponization of water: Analysts and NGOs argue that Israel monopolizes and weaponizes water to pressure Palestinians, especially in Gaza. Some call this a form of “water apartheid.” (Water Politics; Amnesty; Palestine Chronicle)

  • Recent destruction in Gaza City: A YouTube report (Sept 30, 2025) documented how Israeli strikes damaged pipelines and wells:

    • Over 70% of Gaza’s central water wells are now out of service, with the city facing a potential total shutdown.

    • Strikes on the main supply line into Gaza City cut 70% of its daily water, forcing Palestinians to queue for hours.

    • Aid groups have withdrawn, worsening shortages. (YouTube — Gaza families endure shortages)

  • Eyewitness voices:

    • Palestinian resident: “We don’t find water anywhere — we come here fighting for it. People are desperate for water and yet there is not enough for everyone.”

    • Another resident: “Gaza is gasping for water. We wait in line for hours but we still don’t get enough. The children are the ones who feel it the most.”

    • Ibrahim Al Khalili: “Sometimes families receive only 3–5 liters per person each day — and this is total water for drinking, cooking, and hygiene. By comparison, the World Health Organization considers 15 liters the minimum for emergency conditions, and 100 liters the standard for health and dignity.”

  • Public health crisis: Because the 3–5 liters now available is for all uses, not just drinking, people are forced to sacrifice sanitation, bathing, and food safety. This has triggered outbreaks of skin diseases and heightens the risk of cholera and other waterborne illness. (TCF; mei.edu)

  • Asylum seekers in Israel: African migrants continue to face barriers to residency and employment, while deportation attempts to third countries have sparked protests. 

Motivations & Analysis

Israel’s policies toward foreigners and Palestinians reflect a mixture of security imperatives, demographic fears, and political dominance.

  • For Palestinians, restricted water access and resource control are more than infrastructure issues — they are leverage in a protracted struggle over land and sovereignty.

  • For African asylum seekers, exclusion policies show the preference for preserving a Jewish majority and minimizing outside claims of settlement.

The humanitarian toll is immense. Denying access to water — a basic necessity — creates suffering and heightens resentment. International critics argue this strategy seeks to make Gaza “unlivable,” pressuring residents to leave. Others see it as an extension of Israel’s long-standing use of resources as a tool of control. (Water Politics; Amnesty; Palestine Chronicle)

This raises profound ethical questions: when survival essentials are restricted, can peace ever take root? History shows that oppression breeds instability, while dignity and justice foster coexistence.

Scriptural Perspective & Hope

The Bible speaks directly to the treatment of foreigners and vulnerable ones. Jehovah God commanded Israel:

“When a foreigner resides with you in your land, you must not mistreat him. The foreigner residing with you must be to you like a native among you; you must love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am Jehovah your God.” (Leviticus 19:33–34)

God’s Word condemns the misuse of power and the denial of basic human needs like water. Instead, it calls for compassion, equity, and dignity.

Jehovah promises that under His Kingdom, no one will suffer thirst, displacement, or fear. Micah foresaw: “Each one will sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one will make them afraid.” (Micah 4:4) That coming rule of the Messiah (Mashiach) is the hope both Christians and Jews long for — an end to war, injustice, and scarcity.

In that day, access to clean water will not be a privilege or a weapon — it will be part of the abundance of life flowing from God’s restored creation. (Revelation 22:1–2).  Yes, the final words of the bible are ““Come!” and let anyone hearing say, “Come!” and let anyone thirsting come; let anyone who wishes take life’s water free.”

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