1. One of the major constraints facing Palestine in the conservation of its biodiversity is the political reality of denial of access and control over land and natural resources as agreed in the international peace accords signed with Israel including Oslo I, Oslo II and Wye River. For example, all occupied lands in the West Bank of the Jordan River should have been returned to Palestinian control by now. This has not taken place, leaving the Palestinians with little option but to overuse the very limited percentage of land under their control. A similar situation exists with marine and freshwater resources, since Palestinians control only a few narrow fishing zones in violation of the Peace Accords, and have no access at all to the waters of the Jordan River. They are also currently limited to access to no more than 15% of their groundwater.
2. Climate change and desertification, with the related problems of overgrazing and over use of water resources, as well as deterioration and pollution of soils with plastic and chemical wastes and extensive use of agricultural chemicals all post major threats to Palestine's biological diversity.
3. Destruction of wildlife and ecosystems by the Israeli occupation.

4. Agenda for Action

Immediate Priority (implementation within 1-5 years)

1. Evaluate critically existing secondary data on Palestine's biodiversity (including ongoing academic research and Israeli-held data) and identify knowledge gaps.
2. Initiate studies on marine biodiversity, including marine mammals, reptiles and flora aimed at the preservation of marine and coastal habitats (e.g., the dune systems in southern Gaza, Wadi Gaza and the turtle beaches).
3. Update information on invertebrates, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, including species and habitat status, and initiate research, survey and monitoring programmes.
4. Update information on floral and agricultural biodiversity, including microflora, fungi, medicinal plants, documentation on number and status of indigenous and introduced agricultural species, diversity and status of forest resources, phyto-geogboundaries and buffer zones, extinct species, and initiate research, surveys and monitoring programme in this regard.
5. Identify and legally establish a representative system of protected areas/habitats, including endemic, domesticated and endangered species habitats and habitats of important plant species, with the widest possible representation of Palestinian biodiversity. Ensure that the resident communities are involved in establishing those protected areas and in managing them.
6. Establish in situ conservation programs, in particular for endangered and rare animal and plant species, and always in collaboration with local resident communities and other relevant social actors
7. Place a moratorium on all hunting activities to allow wildlife populations to recover, and institute hunting schedules and quotas

Related activities

1. Identify, define and manage wetland resources and establish wetland-protected areas such as Ain Fashkha, Wadi Gaza, Ain Qult, Ain Qiunya and the Dead Sea Area including Jericho and the Jordan River for their touristic values.
2. Establish at least one RAMSAR site (Wetlands of International Importance)
3. Conserve, protect, and manage rare/endangered species such as the triton Triton vittatus, the marsh frog Rana ridibunda, the tree frog Hyla arborea savignyi and the Syrian frog Pelobates syriacus
4. Manage stray domestic animals and wildlife in rural areas, and set up a wildlife veterinary services centre
5. Rehabilitate and restore habitats for large mammals, co-ordinate habitat rehabilitation with rangeland rehabilitation
6. Ensure that environmental pollution does not threaten critical habitat, and encourage the treatment and management of wastewater through appropriate infrastructure development
7. Ensure that solid waste disposal sites do not threaten critical habitats. Clean up solid waste including accumulated waste along beaches, and encourage the development of sanitary landfill sites.
8. Foster international co-operation, national planning processes and policy reforms to support biodiversity conservation
9. Combine offsite facilities such as zoos, botanical gardens and seed banks to protect biodiversity and to help mobilise its benefits.

Mid-term Priority (implementation within 6-10 years)

1. Establish policies, legislation and regulations for the conservation and management of species and habitats
2. Establish a botanical garden/gene bank for the ex situ conservation of indigenous agricultural species.
3. Establish a botanical garden/gene bank for the ex situ conservation of wild plants.
4. Restore degraded lands in ways that enhance both their productivity and biodiversity.
5. Protect natural ecosystems from the introduction of exotic plant and animal species, by:
   • encouraging use of native rather than introduced species for aquaculture, mariculture and agriculture;
   • monitoring the population of introduced species and varieties, as well as the effects of hormones and antibiotics affecting wildlife health;
   • establishing environmental screening procedures for importation of plant and animal species, banning or strictly controlling the import of potentially invasive species, and establishing quarantine controls on all imports
   • establishing an expert committee on biotechnology/genetic engineering to advise on regulatory requirements for dealing with biotechnology and genetically engineered organisms
   • Developing bio-safety policy, legislation and regulations dealing with the handling, release and disposal of exotic or genetically engineered organisms.
6. Regulate commercial access to genetic resources.
7. Control trade in plant and animal species listed in CITES.
8. Strengthen crop and livestock genetic resource conservation, and implement the Global Initiative for the security and sustainable use of Palestinian plant genetic resources.
9. Introduce appropriate environmental impact assessment procedures for proposed projects likely to have significant impacts upon biological diversity, providing for suitable information to be made widely available and for public participation, where appropriate, and encourage the assessment of the impacts of relevant policies and programs on biological diversity.
10. Promote regional co-operation for biodiversity conservation by establishing trans-boundary-protected areas.
11. Promote integrated pest management techniques (using indigenous species) and organic farming to reduce effects of agro-chemicals on indigenous invertebrates.
12. Ratify all regional and international treaties and conventions related to biodiversity conservation.
13. Long-term Priority (implementation > 10 years)
14. Re-introduce species to established and functional conservation areas, including:
    • Locally extirpated amphibians into wetlands and artificial ponds as part of pest management and habitat rehabilitation projects.
    • Locally extirpated species of birds.
    • Locally extirpated mammals such as Mesopotamian deer and roe deer.

Notes

Conserving Palestine’s biodiversity needs to begin by understanding it. This is why many activities in this section deal with studies and research. Other activities aim at giving value to biodiversity in the eyes of the Palestinian people. Others specifically are meant to preserve and protect biodiversity both in situ and ex situ (including the marine environment, which has been so far fairly neglected). Still others aim at preventing destructive pollution

Importantly, the tasks above are not the exclusive prerogative of experts and scientists but need to see the active involvement of the Palestinian society at large and of the indigenous communities– including in particular farmers, Bedouins and fishing communities.

Potential partners

The Palestinian Authority including PEnA (Palestinian Environmental Authority), and MOA (Ministry of Agriculture), Palestinian NGOs, the private sector, local and indigenous communities, relevant international bodies such as IUCN (The World Conservation Union), Donor and Funding Agencies.