From time to time, the Palestine Center distributes articles it believes will enhance understanding of the Palestinian political reality. The following article by Juan Cole was published by The Nation on February 3, 2016.
“Flint and Gaza: Water Crises of Colonialism”
The American public has been shocked to discover that the people of Flint, including children, have been being poisoned with lead by their municipal water supply since April of 2014. The questions of who took the decision to draw water from the heavily polluted Flint River, and why, have been fiercely debated in recent months. But one thing seems clear. The Flint public was deprived of an effective voice and had difficulty being heard. In essence, Flint’s population was under colonial rule because its local democratic institutions were sidelined by the state. For similar reasons, the population of Gaza, under Israeli occupation and blockade, is facing a severe water crisis. In both places, local people have been deprived of autonomy, and they face a severe public-health crisis as a result.
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The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Jerusalem Fund.
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