BETHELEHEM, September 27, 2012 (WAFA) – Jewish settlers from the illegal Israeli settlement of Beitar Illit Thursday pumped waste water coming out from the settlement into Palestinian-owned agricultural land in Wadi Fukin, a village west of Bethlehem, according to a local activist. Head of Wadi Fukin village council, Ahmed Sokar, told WAFA that the waste […]

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Published Tuesday 25/09/2012 (updated) 29/09/2012 GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — A family in Gaza that lost eight children over two years says the lack of sanitation around their home in al-Bureij refugee camp is responsible for their deaths. The Salim family lives meters from a landfill in the central Gaza camp, and their home is surrounded […]

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by Hana Namrouqa | Sep 26, 2012 | 18:24 Updated: Sep 26, 2012 | 22:42 ‘ AMMAN – Jordanian fruits and vegetables irrigated by treated wastewater are safe, fit for human consumption and meet strict international standards, according to a report released on Wednesday. The report was compiled as part of a programme for monitoring […]

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By: Boghos Ghougassian The world is now discovering new means to meet the growing demands for energy, to fight climate change. And “Waste-to-energy” (WtE) is the slogan, which is a sustainable waste management paradigm and at the same time a renewable energy generator with proven success stories. Waste sources such as mixed municipal solid waste […]

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Members of Migvan urban kibbutz agree to ‘plant’ solar panel field on roofs; eco-venture yields 11% profit Billie Frenkel Published: 09.28.12, Members of Migvan urban kibbutz, located in the southern Israeli city of Sderot, have decided to invest in a unique crop – solar energy. The commune’s houses are covered with solar panels, making them […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 09/30/2012 03:03 Extraction firm accuses Greenpeace of scare tactics to deny Israel’s right to develop resources. Throughout Succot, Greenpeace will lead other environmental groups in hosting a Climate Camp in the Elah Valley, southwest of Beit Shemesh, next to the site proposed for oil shale extraction. Activities at the camp will consist […]

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September 27, 2012 01:18 AM LARNACA, Cyprus: Governments in the Mediterranean need to get creative if they want major oil firms to help them tap the full potential of recent undersea gas finds, a leading industry expert told a conference here Wednesday. Speaking at the European Mediterranean Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Summit in […]

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September 28, 2012 01:33 AM By Emma Gatten BEIRUT: Development in Lebanon’s capital can appear unstoppable at times, given its speed and rampancy. But ever since reconstruction began in the wake of the Civil War there have been individuals trying to push it in a different direction. The latest of these is Masha3, a group […]

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By MELANIE LIDMAN 09/19/2012 23:20 Municipality survey: “Dramatic rise” seen following opening of rail line, 1 m. people expected to visit Old City during Succot. ust ahead of Jerusalem’s busiest period for visitors from Yom Kippur through Succot, the municipality has released a new survey pointing to a large increase in the amount of foot […]

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Volume 17, No.174, September 2012 CONTENTS 4 Arabs’ share of climate taxes (editorial by Najib Saab) 20 Energy from waste (cover story) 26 Green economy in Morocco 28 Will hunting be permitted in Lebanon this season? 30 Qatari students map mangroves 32 Tunisia’s wetlands 40 Whale Valley: secrets in the Egyptian wilderness 44 Bolivia’s salt […]

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West Bank’s farming sector struggling to overcome water shortage, economic crisis Reuters Published: 09.24.12 Once a mainstay of the local economy, Palestinian agriculture in the rocky West Bank is in decline as farmers struggle to protect their livelihoods and their lands. Though cut off from key markets, the pressure to keep farming is strong. But […]

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September 20, 2012 01:18 AM By Najib Saab Measured by the increase in gross domestic product over the past 50 years, Arab countries did well, as average GDP per capita increased by about four-fold. While this was reflected in a higher standard of living, it did not necessarily lead to a better quality of life, […]

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Foreign ministry says talks held with Palestinian Authority over plan to develop gas field off coast of blockaded strip. Last Modified: 23 Sep 2012 srael has held discussions with the Palestinian Authority (PA) over plans to develop a gas field off the coast of the blockaded Gaza Strip, Israel’s foreign ministry said in a report. […]

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September 22, 2012 01:49 AM By Osama Habib BEIRUT: An international firm has estimated the volume of gas in Lebanon’s south-west corner to be close to 25 trillion cubic feet, valued by experts to be worth over $40 billion. “In the 3,000 square kilometers we are covering in the south-west corner of Lebanon, near the […]

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by Ruth Eglash 18 September 2012 Print Email Jerusalem – At first glance, Ein Prat, one of the many natural and historic sites hidden in the northern Judean Desert, looks like any other picnic site around the world. Large wooden tables and long benches are located strategically under shady trees on either side of a […]

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RAMALLAH, September 23, 2012 (WAFA) – The Water Authority report, published Sunday, highlighted the severe water shortages and acute water quality problems which continue to negatively affect the lives and livelihoods of millions of Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. PWA report, titled ‘Palestinian Water Sector: Status Summary Report, Sept. 2012,’ will […]

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New Open Space Conservation Foundation to oversee restoration, rehabilitation projects Shay Pauzner, Calcalist Published: 09.23.12, The new Israel Open Space Conservation Foundation (OSCF) officially began its operations last week, after the government approved a NIS 70 million (roughly $18 million) budget for its operations. The foundation, which was formed by proxy of the Land Administration […]

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September 25, 2012 01:14 AM By Elias Sakr ABOARD MV POLAR DUKE: One of several offshore fields located in the southwest corner of Lebanon’s Exclusive Economic Zone could contain 12 trillion cubic feet of gas, Energy Minister Gibran Bassil said Monday. Lebanon has nearly completed a three-dimensional seismic survey of half of its 22,000-square-meter offshore […]

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by Hana Namrouqa | Sep 23, 2012 AMMAN — The Jordan Valley Authority (JVA) on Sunday announced a plan to double the amount of treated wastewater used for irrigation purposes in the Jordan Valley by 2020. JVA Secretary General Saad Abu Hammour said that the authority will maximise the use of treated wastewater for irrigating […]

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Botanical Gardens seek public’s help in funding unique project meant to save 400 endangered species of plants and flowers Amir Ben-David Published: 09.22.12 The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens is currently promoting an ongoing initiative meant to protect about 400 endangered species of flowers and plants in Israel, called “Adopt a plant.” Israel is home to some […]

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