Environmental Injustice in Palestine: A Political Ecology Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15642/jiir.2026.11.1.94-109Keywords:
Political Ecology; Environmental Injustice; Power Relations; Resource Control; PalestineAbstract
This study examines environmental injustice in Palestine through a political ecology perspective amid the escalation of conflict since 2023. The main issue lies in environmental degradation shaped by power relations that govern access to and control over space and natural resources. This study aims to analyze how power structures within the conflict produce ecological inequalities in Gaza and the West Bank. Using a qualitative approach based on literature review, this research draws on international reports, scholarly articles, and policy documents. The findings show that the destruction of environmental infrastructure, restrictions on mobility, and territorial control function as political mechanisms that limit access to water, land, and livelihoods. From a political ecology perspective, these dynamics reflect the intersection of environmental degradation, social marginalization, and resource control, which reinforce distributive, procedural, and social injustices. This study concludes that environmental degradation in Palestine is embedded within political dynamics that structurally deepen inequality and societal vulnerability among Palestinians.Downloads
References
Abuhomos, Mahdi, Régis Delubac, Rémi Delage, dan Toshihiko Nakata. “The Effect of Geopolitical Factors on Local Energy System Performance: Examining the Case of Palestine.” Energy Strategy Reviews, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esr.2025.101681.
Aljamal, Yosri, dan Nuha Sharaf. “Palestinians in West Bank Village Face New Crisis as Settlers Cut Off Water.” Reuters, 30 Juli 2025. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/palestinians-west-bank-village-face-new-crisis-settlers-cut-off-water-2025-07-30/.
Amnesty International. “Israel/OPT: Global Impunity Fueling Israel’s Unlawful Annexation Measures in the West Bank.” 26 Februari 2026. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2026/02/israel-opt-global-impunity-fueling-israels-unlawful-annexation-measures-in-the-west-bank/.
Amnesty International. “Israel’s Decision to Cut Off Electricity Supply to Gaza Desalination Plant Cruel and Unlawful.” 10 Maret 2025. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/03/israels-decision-to-cut-off-electricity-supply-to-gaza-desalination-plant-cruel-and-unlawful/.
Bowen, Jeremy. “Setahun Setelah Konflik Hamas dan Israel di Gaza, Timur Tengah Berada di Ambang Perang yang Lebih Dalam, Lebih Luas, dan Lebih Merusak.” BBC News Indonesia, 8 Oktober 2024. https://www.bbc.com/indonesia/articles/c9qvpr312yjo.
Chumba, Victor Kiptoo. “Environmental Justice Through the Lens of Conflict Resolution: Its Influence on Sustainability.” 10 Januari 2024. https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4712310.
Creswell, John W., dan J. David Creswell. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Edisi ke-5. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2018.
Ebu, Alex Abang. “Climate Change and Environmental Justice in Nigeria: A Case of Climate Justice in the Niger Delta Region.” Advances in Law, Pedagogy, and Multidisciplinary Humanities (ALPAMET) 3, no. 1 (2025): 105–120. https://jurnal.fs.umi.ac.id/index.php/alpamet/article/view/890.
Hamdi, Zainal, Nurwahidin Nurwahidin, Mulawarman Hannase, dan Amany Burhanuddin Umar Lubis. “Middle Eastern Government Systems and Political Institutions: A Case Study of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.” Jurnal ICMES: The Journal of Middle East Studies 8, no. 2 (2024). https://doi.org/10.35748/jurnalicmes.v8i2.196.
Iqtait, Anas. “From Conditionality to Weaponisation: The Transformation of Aid in Palestine Post-October 2023.” Third World Quarterly, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1080/01436597.2025.2532005.
Krampe, Florian, Joakim Kreutz, dan Tobias Ide. “Armed Conflict Causes Long-Lasting Environmental Harms.” Environment and Security 4, no. 1 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1177/27538796251323739.
Kuehn, Robert R. “A Taxonomy of Environmental Justice.” Environmental Law Reporter 30 (2000): 10681–10703.
Kyrpychova, Iryna, dkk. “Identifying the Risks of Armed Conflict Impact on the Ecosystem.” Ecology 1, no. 10 (127) (2024). https://doi.org/10.15587/1729-4061.2024.298430.
Latif, Annisya Nurul, Muhammad Izdiyan Muttaqin, dan Indra Arif Firmansyah. “The Impact of Israeli Attacks on Environmental, Water, and Land Quality in Palestine.” Jurnal ICMES: The Journal of Middle East Studies 9, no. 2 (2025). https://doi.org/10.35748/jurnalicmes.v9i2.217.
Mansour, Mohammad, dan Givara Budeiri. “Israeli Settlers Consume Seven Times More Water than Palestinians.” Al Jazeera, 5 Januari 2026. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2026/1/5/israeli-settlers-consume-water-seven-times-more-than-palestinians.
Miles, Matthew B., A. Michael Huberman, dan Johnny Saldaña. Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods Sourcebook. Edisi ke-4. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2018.
Munajar, Adhi, dan Echa Eriza. “Krisis Kemanusiaan dalam Konflik Israel Palestina Selama Eskalasi 2025.” Socius: Jurnal Penelitian Ilmu-Ilmu Sosial 3, no. 4 (2025): 502–509. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17778954.
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. “High Commissioner Türk on the Occupied Palestinian Territory: The Absence of Accountability Is Nothing Short of Shameful.” 26 Februari 2026. https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2026/02/high-commissioner-turk-occupied-palestinian-territory-absence.
Palestine News Network. “Palestinians Are Forced to Buy Water from Israeli Company.” 23 Maret 2023. https://english.pnn.ps/news/45954.
Patton, Michael Quinn. Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods. Edisi ke-3. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2002.
Qumsiyeh, Mazin B. “Impact of the Israeli Military Activities on the Environment.” International Journal of Environmental Studies 81, no. 2 (2024): 977–992. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207233.2024.2323365.
Reddhiman, Kinchit. “Environmental Injustice and Trampled Human Rights in Relation to Natural Environment During the Israel-Palestine Armed Conflict: Problems and Prospects.” Tesis master, Åbo Akademi, 2024. https://www.doria.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/188493/reddhiman_kinchit.pdf
Robbins, Paul. Political Ecology: A Critical Introduction. Edisi ke-2. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., 2012.
Tempo. “Bagaimana Serangan Israel Mengakibatkan Bencana Kelaparan di Gaza.” 25 Agustus 2025. https://www.tempo.co/internasional/bagaimana-serangan-israel-mengakibatkan-bencana-kelaparan-di-gaza-2062577.
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Developments in the Economy of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. New York: United Nations, 2025. https://www.un.org/unispal/document/unctad-report-30sep25/.
United Nations Environment Programme. “Environmental Impact of the Conflict in Gaza: Preliminary Assessment of Environmental Impacts.” 18 Juni 2024. https://www.un.org/unispal/document/report-environmental-impact-in-gaza-unep-18jun24/.
———. “Environmental Damage in Gaza Strip Harming Human Health, Threatening Long-Term Food and Water Security – New UNEP Report.” 23 September 2025. https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/environmental-damage-gaza-strip-harming-human-health-threatening.
———. Environmental Impact of the Escalation of Conflict in the Gaza Strip: Second Assessment of Environmental Damage and Recommendations for Recovery and Reconstruction Planning. 23 September 2025. https://www.un.org/unispal/document/unep-environmental-impact-of-the-escalation-of-conflict-in-the-gaza-strip.
United Nations Human Rights Council. Human Rights Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Including East Jerusalem, and the Obligation to Ensure Accountability and Justice. A/HRC/61/26, 2026. https://www.un.org/unispal/document/human-rights-situation-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory-including-east-jerusalem-and-the-obligation-to-ensure-accountability-and-justice-a-hrc-61-26-advance-unedited-version/.
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Fact Sheet: Movement and Access in the West Bank. September 2024. https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/fact-sheet-movement-and-access-west-bank-august-202.
Urrea Vivas, Michelle A. “Political Ecology and Environmental Conflicts: The Struggle over Natural Resources.” Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative, 1 Oktober 2024. https://www.sir.advancedleadership.harvard.edu/articles/political-ecology-environmental-conflicts-struggle-over-natural-resources
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Savina Rahmad, Wildan Ilmanuarif Shafar
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
