Torture and Abuse of Children at Israel's Hands

This Week In Palestine: Human Rights, Water, Imprisonment, Torture and Abuse of Children at Israel's Hands

Today we have the pleasure of speaking about Gaza and Palestinian prisoners with Dr. Nancy Murray. I would like to first talk to you about a very special situation in Gaza which highlights how Palestinian human rights are flagrantly violated every day, before we join with Dr. Murray, roughly 20 minutes into this program.

You are probably aware that the Palestinian people have been systematically deprived of one the most basic necessities of life, for more than sixty years: Water.

The Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA)'s appeal for the holidays is to remember the children of Gaza, in particular, it's making an appeal to its newest MAIA project (maia means water in Arabic), an ambitious long-term initiative to address one of the most harmful features of the Israeli Occupation and the blockade of Gaza - the systematic denial of clean, safe drinking water. MECA's statement indicates that today, the health and wellbeing of virtually every Palestinian child and adult is threatened by the shortage of clean, safe water.

That's why MECA has launched the Maia Project, to install water desalinization and purification systems in Gaza schools, kindergartens and nurseries.

This effort began in 2007 when children at the UN school in Bureij Refugee Camp, Gaza held an election to choose one thing they most wanted for their school: the children voted for drinking water. MECA supporters contributed the funds to install a large unit, faucets and drinking fountains at this school (mecaforpeace.org/article.php?id=291) and one other--providing drinking water for 4,000 students and staff.

MECA's partner in Gaza, Afaq Jadeeda (New Horizons) has prepared a list of twenty schools, kindergartens and pre-schools where--with your help --MECA can build water systems in the coming year.

More at: mecaforpeace.org