PI: What are the key issues that the State of Palestine is advocating at this COP amid Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza?
Ikhmais: We face a lot of challenges on the ground in Palestine due to climate change. We are experiencing very high temperatures that we have never experienced before. We are suffering from dry spells in rainy seasons. The water quality and quantity has been compromised. This is also related to the Israeli occupation because we have zero share of surface water and very limited extraction ability from the groundwater wells. 90% of our water needs are purchased from Israel and neighbouring countries. So we suffer from the dual challenge of the Israeli occupation plus the climate change that affects human life in Palestine. The occupation hinders us from being resilient to climate change.
PI: How is the State of Palestine engaging at this COP and what are some key priorities?
Ikhmais: We have been participating in all COPs and have submitted our Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) reports and climate action plans for implementation of NDCs. The most vulnerable sectors are water, food security, and agriculture.
PI: I’d like to come back to the impacts of Israel’s current war on Gaza.
Ikhmais: The situation on the ground in Gaza is devastating to the human lives and every aspect of human life in Palestine because it’s a genocide being committed on our people. West Bank and Gaza are one nation and one country and we feel the same pain for how our brothers and sisters are suffering in Gaza. The last few years, we have implemented a lot of climate actions in Gaza like water harvesting, solar energy, waste water treatment units built with partners from all over the world, including UN organisations. A lot of investments have been made to enhance resilience and build capacity in Palestine regarding climate change. Recently, we have been reassessing a lot of the climate actions plans and budgets due to the massive destruction in Gaza to the whole human infrastructure. So we’re having to reassess on rebuilding it, reassess the NDCs and National Adaptation Plan with budgets needing to be more than doubled.
Palestine has been in a challenging situation since forever with the occupation hindering every aspect of human life. The environmental component has been destroyed by the Israeli practices by having so much emissions, waste and especially hazardous and chemical waste that Israel disposes on Palestinian land and water resources. The genocide in Gaza is exposing all of these atrocities. More than 80% of those killed are women and children and civilians sitting in their homes.
PI: We are seeing some promising signs in terms of advocacy for Palestine at this COP from heads of states like Colombia, Chile, and others. Do you see that advocacy translating into helpful actions that improve the situation on the ground in Gaza and West Bank? What would be your message to the world's political leaders?
Ikhmais: We are thankful to all our supporters. We are seeing a lot of solidarity for Palestine from people who have come here. We are hearing comforting words in a difficult situation. On the political level though, we are expecting more. Thanks to the governments who have said words but we don’t need words anymore. We need actions. We need the genocide to stop right now. There is nothing left to be destroyed. More and more human lives are being killed due to an agenda that has long been in the minds of the Israeli state’s far-right leaders while flouting all international humanitarian laws. I can’t express how inhumane the situation is. The ceasefire should be forever and not just for two or four days.
