The Israeli-Palestinian Water Conflict: An Israeli Perspective
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rapport Jan 2012 ; 42 pages
Aut. Haim Gvirtzman
Ed. BESA - Ramat Gan
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Abstract:
"This paper details the water agreements between Israel and the Palestinians and in doing so refutes any criticism against Israel for not adhering to its commitments. Israel has not only fulfilled all of its obligations stemming from the 1995 Interim Agreement signed with the PA but has met all water commitments requisite of a permanent status agreement as well.
As a result, there is almost no difference today in the per capita consumption of natural water between Israelis and Palestinians. The large difference that existed in 1967, when the administration of Judea and Samaria was handed over from Jordan to Israel, has been reduced over the last 40 years and is now negligible. As well, the per capita domestic water consumption of the Palestinians is significantly higher than the minimum human needs defined by the World Health Organization.
However, while Israel has ensured that nearly all Palestinian villages and towns are connected to running water, the Palestinians have violated their part of the agreement by refusing to build sewage treatment plants (despite available international financing). Moreover, the Palestinians have drilled hundreds of unlicensed wells and set up unauthorized connections to Israeli water supply pipelines.
Furthermore, the Palestinians have little basis for their water demands according to international legal norms. First, the signed water agreement overrules all other parameters. Second, Israel's historical possession of the Mountain Aquifer was established in the 1940s and is unconnected to the Occupation. Third, the Palestinians should not exploit groundwater from the Western Aquifer, which is fully utilized by Israel, before first exploiting groundwater from the non-utilized Eastern Aquifer. Finally, the Palestinians should be working to pay individually for their water consumption, to prevent leaks in domestic pipelines, to implement conservative irrigation techniques, and to reuse sewage water for irrigation. The fact that they have taken none of these steps and have not adopted any sustainable development practices precludes their demands for additional water from Israel.
Israel believes that the water issue could be transformed from a source of controversy and tension to a source of understanding and cooperation.41 As with its two previously signed water agreements (the permanent one with Jordan in 1994 and the interim one with the Palestinians in 1995), Israel wishes to achieve a practical and fair permanent agreement with the Palestinians. This paper has put forth a plan that can efficiently and quickly solve the current and future water shortages on both sides. The proposed plan would supply the sufficient quantity of water needed at least until 2030 and still leave some reserves."
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BESA
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Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies - Ramat Gan - Israël |
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