Rights Group Petitions Supreme Court Over Shuafat Refugee Camp Sanitation Crisis
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel, along with the Ir Amim organization, has filed a petition with the Supreme Court demanding immediate action to provide sanitation services to residents of the Shuafat refugee camp in Jerusalem. The petition, filed on behalf of four camp residents, targets the Water Authority, the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage, the Hagihon company, and the Jerusalem Municipality.
Residents have been living for months without regular sewage services after the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, ceased its maintenance operations. UNRWA had been responsible for maintaining the camp's aging and dilapidated sewage network for decades. Its withdrawal has left the infrastructure neglected, leading to sewage flowing in streets and near homes, open manholes, and the proliferation of foul odors, rats, and cockroaches.
The ongoing sewage failures have also caused parts of roads to collapse and damaged infrastructure, hindering movement within the camp. Residents are reportedly forced to pay out-of-pocket for sewage removal, unclogging, and emergency repairs, with some undertaking repairs themselves. The situation poses significant health risks, particularly to children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
The petition emphasizes that Shuafat camp falls within Jerusalem's municipal boundaries. It argues that UNRWA's past provision of services does not absolve Israeli authorities of their legal responsibility, especially after the agency's operations ceased. The petitioners are seeking an interim order for immediate intervention to mitigate the health and environmental hazards, and an urgent hearing date.
Shaher Alqam, a camp resident and neighborhood committee member, described the unbearable stench and the rampant vermin, highlighting the disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations. Attorney Tal Hussein from the Association for Civil Rights stated that the authorities' refusal to assume responsibility and provide basic services violates their legal obligations, calling the situation a "shocking additional proof" of the authorities' neglect and discrimination against tens of thousands living behind the separation barrier.
