Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh, an environmental scientist from Bethlehem University, was a keynote speaker at an August 14 forum on the Palestine ecocide. It was hosted by Palestine Justice Movement Sydney.
Qumsiyeh is also the founder and director of the聽聽and the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability at聽,聽where he teaches. He has published well over 150 scientific papers on topics ranging from cultural heritage to biodiversity, in addition to several books.
Qumsiyeh spoke of Israel鈥檚 devastation of Gaza鈥檚 natural environment and of Palestine, including the 鈥渨idespread habitat destruction, and removal of native tree cover鈥 and the loss of water resources such as the Jordan River valley, which, he said 鈥渋s now like a tiny, polluted stream鈥.
Qumsiyeh said a key reason for Israel鈥檚 attack on Gaza is because of its natural gas resources. 鈥淚srael has recently signed an agreement with Egypt to export a large quantity of gas to that country.鈥
He said his environmental education work in Jerusalem included a project called 鈥淧alestine Action for the Planet鈥, which assists in the maintenance of community gardens in the West Bank. It involves 600 overseas volunteers from 47 countries.
鈥淭he unprecedented scale of environmental damage in Gaza reveals the inadequacy of environmental protection in international criminal law,鈥 Qumsiyeh said. 鈥淲e have seen the silencing and censorship聽of Australian artists and writers, of academics and students and聽who have been sidelined, threatened and sacked for speaking out in support of Gaza.鈥澛
Sam Castro, operations coordinator and secretary of Friends of the Earth (FOE) also spoke, as did Claire Parfitt, lecturer in political economy at University of Sydney and Dr Julie Macken, a social justice facilitator. Ahmed Abadla, a Palestinian from Gaza, MCed the event.
Parfitt discussed the challenge of motivating unions to take a stronger stand in support of Palestine and, in particular, to stand up against the university administrations鈥 repressive actions against pro-Palestine students and staff.
Castro talked about FOE鈥檚 historical stand for Palestine and highlighted the failings of much of the environmental movement, especially NGOs, to take a stand with the people of Gaza.
Macken said threats to deny funding and charity status were behind many environment organisations鈥 failures to take a clear stand against Israel鈥檚 genocide in Gaza. Rising Tide and Friends of the Earth are honourable exceptions.
Qumsiyeh said the attack on Gaza has 鈥済alvanised the whole planet鈥 and that international solidarity with the people of Gaza was urgent.