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Pinar

Pinar Dinc

Researcher

Pinar

Roots of destruction : exploring the genocide-ecocide nexus through the destruction of olive trees in occupied Palestine and Rojava

Author

  • Pinar Dinc
  • Necmettin Türk

Summary, in English

Ecological degradation not only affects local and global environments but also threatens the cultural survival of affected societies, exemplifying the phenomenon known as the genocide–ecocide nexus. This article presents the first comparative case study of olive tree destruction in occupied Palestine and Afrin canton of Rojava, highlighting how ecocide serves as a deliberate strategy of cultural and physical extermination in these regions, home to two of the world’s largest stateless groups. Juxtaposing these cases reveals that environmental destruction and genocidal practices are connected and function as tools of systemic oppression. The study also bridges critical genocide studies and the genocide–ecocide nexus with field political ecology and critical perspectives on environmental security, offering insights into links between conflict/violence and the environment. Our empirical analysis has three parts. First, we examine common mechanisms of olive tree destruction and appropriation in Palestine and Afrin–damaging, uprooting, poisoning, cutting, burning, stealing, and looting—by Israel and Turkey. Second, we explore resistance strategies by Palestinians and Kurds in response to ecological violence. We conclude by discussing similarities and differences between the two cases and problematising the international legal and political systems that fail to address the destruction inflicted on stateless and marginalised groups.

Department/s

  • Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies (CMES)
  • Department of Political Science
  • MECW: The Middle East in the Contemporary World

Publishing year

2025

Language

English

Publication/Series

International Journal of Human Rights

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Routledge

Topic

  • Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified

Keywords

  • environmental destruction
  • Genocide-ecocide nexus
  • olive trees
  • Palestine
  • Rojava
  • settler-colonialism

Status

Inpress

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1364-2987