PSI Talks and Publications

The global increase in military expenditure diverts crucial resources away from sustainable development initiatives, disproportionately affecting regions already subjected to militarization, colonial occupation, and systemic underdevelopment. Nowhere is this more evident than in the latest war on Gaza, where military aggression has led to mass displacement, destruction of infrastructure, and environmental devastation, directly undermining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). This paper examines how military spending exacerbates inequalities, particularly in the context of Palestine, and highlights the PSI Space and Military-Industrial Complex database, which documents the links between space technologies and militarization. Furthermore, this paper situates the war on Gaza within the broader context of eco-apartheid in Palestine, demonstrating how the Israeli military’s excessive funding enables environmental destruction, resource theft, and systematic displacement in both Gaza and the West Bank. Drawing from PSI’s research, this paper argues for an urgent shift towards demilitarization and resource reallocation to foster peace, resilience, and equity. Finally, it puts forward five policy recommendations in response to the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs’ call on the impact of the global increase in military expenditure on the achievement of the sustainable development goals.

Earth Observation (EO) has the potential to play a transformative role in documenting genocide in Gaza, supporting accountability efforts, and advancing justice. However, access to satellite imagery and the ability to analyze it remains highly unequal. The communities most affected often lack the resources, funding, and political leverage needed to obtain and utilize EO data effectively. As a result, systematic destruction and human rights violations risk remaining underreported or invisible, limiting the ability of local actors to advocate for justice and recognition. Despite the availability of EO technologies, significant barriers exist in applying this data for humanitarian and legal purposes. High-resolution satellite imagery is often restricted, leaving affected populations reliant on lower-resolution or outdated datasets. By highlighting these barriers, this research underscores the urgent need for ethical frameworks that ensure EO is used for justice rather than reinforcing existing power asymmetries. Furthermore, this study explores the legal applications of satellite imagery as evidence in international accountability mechanisms, including its potential role in supporting cases at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Satellite data has increasingly been used as evidence in genocide investigations, and its integration into justice frameworks could strengthen efforts to hold responsible parties accountable. However, geopolitical control over EO data raises ethical concerns about whose experiences are validated and whose remain obscured. Beyond legal applications, EO can empower local communities by providing scientific evidence of atrocities and destruction, supporting advocacy and accountability initiatives. This work examines the ethical and legal dimensions through a case study focusing on Gaza. It calls for a decolonial approach to space technologies, where EO is leveraged not as a tool of surveillance and geopolitical control, but as an instrument of justice and accountability for those most impacted by genocide. By addressing both the ethical and legal challenges of EO for justice in Gaza, this research advocates for a more inclusive and ethical use of space technology, ensuring satellite data is mobilized to document genocide and actively support accountability efforts.

Assessing environmental destruction in war-affected regions presents significant challenges due to restricted ground access, damaged infrastructure, and ongoing security concerns. Traditional field-based data collection is often infeasible in these areas, making Earth Observation (EO) an essential tool for monitoring environmental changes and degradation. The increasing availability of high-resolution and frequent satellite imagery offers a means to assess war-induced environmental impacts remotely, providing critical information for damage assessment, humanitarian response, and long-term recovery planning. This study employs Sentinel-2 satellite imagery to analyze the environmental consequences of genocide in Gaza, focusing on changes in vegetation, water, and land health. By utilizing several environmental indices, we evaluate the extent of destruction across different ecological and urban zones, with particular emphasis on surface water and moisture. Our results demonstrate that EO can reliably detect damage to key infrastructure, such as wastewater treatment plants, while also producing ambiguous signals in farmland and vehicle corridors that cannot be interpreted without local testimony and ground truth. By applying image-processing techniques, this study provides a framework for rapid and preliminary environmental impact assessment while also acknowledging the ethical responsibility to avoid over-interpretation. Furthermore, we discuss the technical and ethical challenges associated with EO-based monitoring during genocide, including limitations of spectral indices, incomplete mapping data, and the need to protect privacy and dignity when analyzing displacement areas. The findings underscore the necessity of integrating satellite-derived environmental data with local knowledge in order to produce meaningful outputs. EO data can inform restoration strategies by identifying priority areas for soil rehabilitation and water management, but must be treated as complementary to on-the-ground knowledge. By demonstrating both the potential and limitations of EO to fill critical data gaps, this study advocates for its careful application in documenting and understanding the long-term environmental impacts of genocide.

The Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which forms the basis of international space law, prohibits the placement of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction in space and limits the use of the Moon and other celestial bodies to peaceful purposes. Despite these provisions, the treaty does not prohibit the placement of conventional weapons in orbit, and the potential for space to become weaponized remains a significant concern. Recent advancements in space technology and the increasing capabilities of various nations to operate in space have brought the issue to the forefront of international discussions. The development of anti-satellite weapons, the militarization of space infrastructure, and the potential deployment of weaponized platforms in orbit are developments that necessitate a reevaluation of existing treaties and the formulation of new agreements to ensure space remains a zone of peace. Acknowledging that the ideal solution – a new comprehensive treaty – presents significant diplomatic and practical challenges, this project adopts a pragmatic approach. It aims to lay the groundwork for such an ambitious goal through incremental steps, beginning, as an example, with developing a draft resolution. This initial step is envisioned as a catalyst for international dialogue and cooperation, setting the stage for more extensive agreements in the future. By focusing on achievable milestones, such as consensus-building activities, confidence-building measures, and the establishment of a common understanding of the importance of space for humanity's collective future, this project seeks to navigate the complex political and technical terrain towards the ultimate objective of a demilitarized outer space.

The Palestine Space Institute (PSI) is a think tank established with a transformative vision: to challenge and disrupt the prevailing colonial and militaristic narrative in the space industry. Recognizing the inconsistencies between the ideal of ”peaceful purposes” in international space law and the reality of the “space and defense” industry, PSI’s mission is to untangle the space sector from the military-industrial complex by highlighting alternative ways of approaching space exploration through a decolonial lens. PSI’s innovative approach is anchored in four key research and advocacy areas: Decoupling Defense and Space, Space Technology Control, Demilitarization of Space, and Space for Palestine. In 2024, the institute launched its inaugural PSI Fellowship Program, where fellows are undertaking the following research topics corresponding to each of PSI’s main areas: 1) examining the financial and technological dependencies created by military investments in space, 2) strategizing the ethical management of “dual-use” space technologies, 3) drafting resolutions to promote an international commitment to demilitarize outer space, and 4) mapping the involvement of space companies in ongoing military activities against Gaza. The unique contribution of PSI’s work lies in its novel approach of challenging the entrenched norms of the space sector through its original research and advocacy work. It targets a global audience, including space professionals, scholars, and policymakers, offering practical recommendations and strategies for a decolonized space sector. PSI’s work, underpinned by both quantitative and qualitative data, aims to ensure accessibility, diversity, equity, and justice in both current and future space activities. It ultimately aims to foster a truly peaceful and autonomous space sector, free from the constraints and influences of imperialist mindsets and military agendas.