Chihuahua and Ciudad Juárez Witness Protests Against Water Deal with Israel
Chihuahua, August 2, 2026 – Dozens of individuals took to the streets in Chihuahua City and Ciudad Juárez yesterday, August 2, to express their strong opposition to a water cooperation agreement signed between the Central Board of Water and Sanitation (JCAS) of Chihuahua and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel. The demonstrators also voiced demands for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and a complete cessation of diplomatic and commercial relations between Mexico and Israel.
The protests, part of a national movement dubbed the ‘Peaceful Anti-Israel March’ or ‘March in Defense of Water,’ saw approximately one hundred individuals march from the Pancho Villa monument roundabout to the Government Palace in Chihuahua City. Simultaneously, a similar group converged at the Cruz de Clavos, near the Paso del Norte international bridge in Ciudad Juárez.
The Controversial Water Cooperation Plan
The ‘Cooperation Plan between Mashav – Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – and Chihuahua’s Central Board of Water and Sanitation (JCAS)’ was officially signed on February 23, 2023, and is slated to remain in effect until 2027.
The protests in Chihuahua City were organized by the collectives ‘Salvemos los Cerros de Chihuahua’ (Let’s Save the Hills of Chihuahua) and ‘Asamblea Feminista’ (Feminist Assembly). These groups publicly accused the PAN governor, María Eugenia Campos Galván, and the director of JCAS, of promoting Zionism as a colonial political project and engaging in business dealings with a government they allege is committing genocide in Palestine.
Lack of Transparency and Public Participation Alleged
Activists from ‘Salvemos los Cerros’ raised significant concerns regarding the agreement’s transparency and the decision-making process concerning Chihuahua’s water resources. They argue that the agreement was implemented without adequate transparency or citizen participation. Furthermore, they contend that the primary objective of the deal is not to achieve a fair distribution of water resources but rather to favor agricultural business interests.
Widespread National Protests
Beyond Chihuahua, similar protests occurred yesterday in various other Mexican cities, including Mexico City, Puebla, Aguascalientes, Saltillo (Coahuila), Pachuca (Hidalgo), Toluca (State of Mexico), Monterrey (Nuevo León), and Querétaro, among others.
In Puebla, police reportedly prevented a group of approximately 150 people from reaching the Zócalo to protest in favor of Palestine and against Israel.
