Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine is an activist organization based in Massachusetts that raises awareness about water shortages in the Gaza Strip. It claims the state of Israel uses water as a “weapon” against Palestinians and claims that water ought to be equally distributed, as it is a “human right” and should not be privatized. ¹

It is affiliated with the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, calling on its supporters to protest weapons manufacturers and water companies associated with Israel. ²

Background

Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine is an activist group that aims to raise awareness about water shortages in the Gaza Strip, claiming that Israel uses water as a “weapon” against Palestinians. It believes water ought to be equally distributed as it is a “human right” and should not be privatized. ³

The organization was formed in 2013 to protest a deal between the Israeli government and Israeli businesses with the state of Massachusetts, along with several other states and countries. ^{4 5}

Activities

Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine is mainly an advocacy group. It provides resources on its website supporting its pro-Palestine viewpoints and delivers webinars and social media communications. It orchestrates protests as well as “standouts” against companies and government offices that it views as complicit with abuses in the Gaza Strip. ^{6 7}

Like the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, the Alliance advocates for the boycotting of Israeli water companies insofar as they continue to be “complicit in Israel’s theft of Palestinian water or its discriminatory policies.” ⁸

In November 2021, BDS Boston signed a letter produced by Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine along with Jewish Voice for Peace – Boston, Democratic Socialists of America – Boston, and Massachusetts Peace Action. The letter, which criticized the state of Massachusetts for having a relationship with Israel and its “Apartheid system,” was delivered to the offices of U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Ed Markey (D-MA). ⁹

In January 2024, Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine endorsed the March on Washington for Gaza, a demonstration against the Biden administration’s support for Israel in its war against Hamas. ¹⁰ It ended at the fences of the White House. ¹¹ The crowd reportedly shook the fence to the point where it became dislodged, and Secret Service and police officers had to physically push them back to prevent them from spilling onto the White House grounds. Protestors threw objects at police and attempted to scale the fence. ¹²

Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine endorsed a protest of Elbit Systems and its alleged shareholder, Chase Bank, led by BDS Boston in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on January 28, 2024. Elbit Systems is a manufacturer that sells weapons and other equipment to the state of Israel. ¹³ The poster for the protest read, “Get Elbit Out of Cambridge – Spread Awareness – Stop the War Machine.” ¹⁴

Partners

Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine is openly associated with the BDS movement and stands in solidarity with several other “water justice” initiatives in Flint, Michigan; Bhopal, India; and sub-Saharan Africa. ¹⁵

The Alliance boasts that it is “endorsed” by several left-of-center organizations including 1for3.org, Alliance for a Secular and Democratic South Asia, Boston Coalition for Palestinian Rights, Cambridge Bethlehem People to People Project, Friends of Sabeel – New England, Jewish Voice for Peace – Boston, Jewish Women for Justice in Israel/Palestine, Massachusetts Peace Action, and United for Justice with Peace. ¹⁶

1. “Mission.” Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine. Accessed January 27, 2024. https://www.waterjusticeinpalestine.org/mission.
2. “Massachusetts Organizing.” Alliance for Justice in Palestine. Accessed January 27, 2024. https://www.waterjusticeinpalestine.org/massachusetts.
3. “Mission.” Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine. Accessed January 27, 2024. https://www.waterjusticeinpalestine.org/mission.
4.  “Mission.” Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine. Accessed January 27, 2024. https://www.waterjusticeinpalestine.org/mission.
5. “Accomplishments.” Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine. Accessed January 27, 2024. https://www.waterjusticeinpalestine.org/accomplishments.
6. “Donate.” Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine. Accessed January 27, 2024. https://www.waterjusticeinpalestine.org/donate.
7. “Massachusetts.” Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine. Accessed January 27, 2024. https://www.waterjusticeinpalestine.org/massachusetts.
8. “Mission.” Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine. Accessed January 27, 2024. https://www.waterjusticeinpalestine.org/mission.
9. “Massachusetts Organizing.” Alliance for Justice in Palestine. Accessed January 27, 2024. https://www.waterjusticeinpalestine.org/massachusetts.
10. “Endorsers.” March on Washington for Gaza. Accessed January 27, 2024. https://march4gaza.org/endorsers/
11. Kirka, Danica; Hadjicostis, Menelaos; Hussein, Fatima. “A global day of protests draws thousands in Washington and other cities in pro-Palestinian marches.” Associated Press, January 13, 2024. Accessed January 27, 2024. https://apnews.com/article/protest-gaza-israel-palestinians-london-29d5cd664c81654283344d1874691a4f.
12. Jerusalem Post Staff. “Thousands of pro-Palestinians march onto the White House.” The Jerusalem Post, January 14, 2024. Accessed January 27, 2024. https://www.jpost.com/international/article-782122.
13. Scheer, Steven. “Israeli defence firm Elbit ramps up output to meet demand for war.” Reuters, November 28, 2023. Accessed January 27, 2024. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/israeli-defence-firm-elbit-q3-profit-up-ramps-up-production-war-2023-11-28/.
14. Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine. Facebook, January 26, 2024. Accessed January 27, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=367178896062800&set=a.236474982466526.
15. “Mission.” Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine. Accessed January 27, 2024. https://www.waterjusticeinpalestine.org/mission.
16. “Mission.” Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine. Accessed January 27, 2024. https://www.waterjusticeinpalestine.org/mission