Marina Guttierez from Women in Black shares her experience with the Thirsting for Justice 2012 Summer Challenge. Sign up now to take the challenge and live on 6.3 gallons of water for a day in solidarity with Palestinians under Israeli occupation. 

Marina Guttierez from Women in Black shares her experience with the Thirsting for Justice 2012 Summer Challenge. Sign up now to take the challenge and live on 6.3 gallons of water for a day in solidarity with Palestinians under Israeli occupation. 

This summer I joined people in various countries in the “Thirsting for Justice “ campaign in solidarity with the Palestinian people living under the Israeli occupation and severe water restrictions. The “Thirsting for Justice “ campaign challenged the participants to live 24 hours on 24 liters of water (or 6.3 gallons). In California where I live the campaign was organized by MECA, the Middle East Children Alliance. MECA has been working hard since 1988 seeking justice for the Palestinians.

I am a person that wastes no water, electricity, food or anything else but I knew that this challenge would be hard to meet.

To measure the water I used, a glass jug that holds 3.8 liters of water (one gallon). I started the challenge on 08/15/12, 7.00 a.m. and ended it next morning at 7.00 a.m.

First gallon: transferred one liter of water from the jug to another container, used it to brush my teeth and wash my face.
Took one liter of water and filtered it to drink during the day, boiled another liter to make coffee. I did not wash the breakfast dishes but the first gallon of water was already used.

Second gallon: I transferred 3.8 liters (one gallon) to a bucket and used to flush the toilet only once during the day.

Third gallon: washed the breakfast dishes, cleaned the kitchen countertop, had just fruit and sandwich for lunch. Used the rest of the water to brush my teeth.

Fourth gallon: prepared dinner for two people, but didn’t make a green salad, which uses more water to clean. Instead I washed tomatoes and a cucumber for a salad.

Fifth gallon: used to clean the dishes, pots and pans, but it was not enough.

Sixth gallon: finished washing the dishes, used the rest of the water to brush my teeth.

My allotment of water was gone! I did not have water left to take a quick shower or to prepare my breakfast next morning.

Forcing a Palestinian to live with this amount of water is indignant, and probably part of the plan to make life so miserable under the occupation that they will be forced to leave! Denying the Palestine their right to a fair share of the water is heinous.

That is why people of conscience around the world are “Thirsting for Justice”. We must continue our efforts to get justice for the Palestinians and peace for all people in Israel/Palestine.
Marina Gutierrez.