GOOD WATER NEIGHBOURS

 The Middle East and North African (MENA) region is one of the most water-stressed regions in the world . Situated in the heart of the MENA, Israel and Palestine face issues of prolonged drought, pollution, and unequal distribution of water resources. Within this ecological context, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict adds an additional layer of complexity. 

Israel and Palestine’s freshwater sources consist of coastal rivers, lakes, aquifers, and the Jordan River, which originates on Mount Hermon, flows along Israel and the West Bank’s border with Jordan, until it is ultimately deposited in the Dead Sea. 

The Jordan River’s water is shared by four riparians : Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. Although the Jordan River runs along the West Bank, the Palestinians are currently denied access to its water resources. The Mountain Aquifer  is the largest groundwater reservoir in the region. The Mountain Aquifer’s recharge area lies in the West Bank, making the Palestinians upstream, and the Israelis downstream riparians. Because it is an important source of freshwater for both Israel and the Palestinians, regulations for its use were set forth in the 1995 Oslo Accords. 

In the early days of the Zionist movement, water was recognized as critical for the development of a Jewish state.The perception of water as a prerequisite for national security has shaped Israel’s relations with its neighbors, with whom it shares many of its water resources. 

The battle of 1967  influenced Israel’s strategy, the war’s outcome completely overturned the hydro-political structure of the region. Having occupied the Golan Heights, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, Israel was able to secure additional sources of water supply and effectively gained control over 80 percent of the West Bank’s water.

In the context of Israel and Palestine, destroying sanitation facilities or water delivery systems such as water pipelines and rooftop water tanks has become part of the overall conflict. During the 2014 Gaza War, Israel destroyed Gaza’s only electricity plant, and damaged a wastewater treatment plant and a desalination facility, leaving over 1.2 million Palestinians with limited fresh water or sanitation facilities and $34 million in damages to Gaza’s water infrastructure. 

The situation looks drastically different on the Palestinian side, where chronic water stress, exacerbated by periodic droughts and malfunctioning water infrastructure, are still taking their toll on the Palestinian people and economy.

Many of Israel’s settlements in the West Bank have been connected to the regional water and sanitation infrastructure. In contrast, many Palestinian villages that are located within the Israeli-controlled areas of the West Bank receive  too little water. 

 Israel’s state-owned water company Mekorot,  sells water to the Palestinians at prices that are up to three times more than the highest tariff for its Israeli customers. 

Both Israel and the Palestinians have accused each other of violating the regulations set forth in the water sharing agreement as part of the Oslo II negotiations in 1995. 

Issues of pollution and salinization have reached critical levels in the Palestinian territories, particularly the Gaza Strip, where less than 5 percent of water resources are fit for consumption.  Full article is available on https://upsconline.com/good-water-neighbours/