ISM Activists in Gaza Strip Protect Water Supply

Water Wars: ISM Activists in Gaza Strip Protect Water Supply.

Last night Israeli forces attacked Rafah's water supply at Tel el-Sultan destroying with bulldozers the 2 largest of six wells that supply the town's water. This has resulted in a reduction of 50% in the town's water supply.

Tonight 4 ISM activists (2 Americans,, 1 Briton and 1 Swede) will stand guard around the 4 remaining wells protecting them with their bodies at the request of the Rafah's Water Municipality Director. The well's are in a very exposed position – less than a kilometre from the Gush Katif Settlement, where the occupying army bases a large portion of its armoured and demolition vehicles.

This action follows a successful action undertaken yesterday when ISM intervention made possible the repair of a burst water main in Rafah which had been damaged by Israeli military activity and had been flooding a street of Rafah's Brazil area on the Egyptian border for more than six weeks. On previous occasions municipal workers had come under machine-gun fire from a nearby Israeli tank whenever they tried to repair the damaged pipes.

Yesterday the workers were able to complete the repairs on the pipes without interference while ISM activists stood among them and between them and the tank.

Should tonight's action be successful the activists intend to guard municipal workers installing a pump in a waterworks building, which they have been prevented from doing due to machine-gun fire from a nearby tank at Gush Katif Settlement which overlooks the building.

For further information contact:

· Olivia on 055 874 693 or

· Joe on 067 628 507.

Michael ISM Media Coordinator Beit Sahour Occupied Palestine Phone: +972-2-2774602 Cell: +972-67-628439 web: http://www.palsolidarity.org

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