Water in Palestine, Israel, and the neighboring countries is critical. Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, and Jordan have the least renewable water resources in the region. Israel (including the West Bank and Gaza) and Jordan use more fresh water every year than can be recharged naturally.
The area is in severe drought. Lake Kinneret (25% of Israel's supply) is approaching the point where water can physically no longer be drawn from it ("black line")[1]. Lebanon plans to withdraw significant amounts of water from the Hasbani River, a tributary to Lake Kinneret, for its own irrigation purposes[2]. The Jordan River is dry in summer, at the Allenby Bridge/Jericho[3]. Israel plants trees (~400 L/day per tree, or the total water usage of two Palestinians) in the desert[4]. Israelis use ~800 L/day of water. Palestinians use ~200 L/day of water[5]. Three out of the four I/WB aquifers and the entire Jordan Valley (all major West Bank Surface water) are wholly controlled by Israel (Area C). All water projects have to be approved by the Joint Water Committee, set up as an interim collaboration between the PA and the GOI by the Oslo II Water Agreement, which effectively serves as an Israeli veto on Palestinian water development and reclamation projects[5].
There is no play in the system. Water is truly a zero-sum issue. This is reflected in the politics of war and peace in the region. It leads to intransigence. Can there be room to negotiate peace when all parties are demanding more of a scarce and diminishing, yet existential resource?
Can anything change this dynamic?
An overview...
First some regional context from the satellite imagery...
This image shows where the water is going. Southern Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza are clearly distinguishable by the transitions from green to brown.
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A summary:
Available Renewable Water Consumption
Israel [6] 1.7 cu km (2001) Total: 2.05 cu km/yr
(including the (D 31% / I 7% / A 62%)
West Bank and Gaza) Per Capita: 305 cu m/yr (2000)
West Bank (Pop: 2.2M)
Amnesty International: [7] Total: .064 cu km/yr
(Household consumption only) Per Capita: 29.2 cu m/yr
(80 L/day*365/1000)
World Bank (All uses) [5]: .18 cu km (2007) Total: .2 cu km/yr
Gaza: (Pop: 1.5M) (consensus) Total: .055 cu km (90% brackish)
Per Capita: 36.5 cu m/yr
(100 L/day*365/1000)
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SOURCES OF WATER
The following map and table show the sources of surface and ground water, respectively, in Israel, the WB, and Gaza. Generally speaking they show that Israel uses about 600 (Million Cubic Meters; MCM) of surface water, and about 1,000 MCM of ground water per year. This is not sustainable as the World Bank table shows.
Palestinians are limited to rainwater and older, shallow wells in the Jordan Valley and about 200 MCM of water from the West Bank aquifers.
Source: PASSIA
Source: World Bank Report - Assessment of Restrictions on Palestinian Water Sector Development; 2009, Pg. 11
Israel also generates about 25% of its water from a combination of wastewater reclamation, desalination, and rainwater collection.[8]
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ISSUES
The overriding issue is the one of water equity and over pumping. The satellite map shows the disparity in outcome. This has to be addressed in order to change the political climate in the region.
The World Bank report cited here outlined two organizational causes for inaction on the water issue in the West Bank (and Gaza):
1) The dysfunction of the Joint Water Committee and the use of that body to serve as an Israeli veto on Palestinian water and reclamation projects.
World Bank Report - Executive Summary (Pg. vii)
The PWA is unable to conduct integrated management of the resource in the West Bank within the current governance framework. The governance system established by Article 40 requires the approval by Israeli authorities of any proposed PA management measure or infrastructure project within the West Bank. This arrangement, together with the way it has been implemented, gives Israeli authorities control over the allocation and management of West Bank water resources. Israeli territorial jurisdiction in Area C (60% of the West Bank) consolidates this control, which makes integrated planning and management of water resources virtually impossible for the PA. At best, the PA role is reduced to improving water and sanitation services to Palestinian communities within the constraints laid down. As an illustration, the Israeli Water Authority has used its role as de facto regulator to prevent Palestinian drilling in the Western Aquifer, despite growing demand from Palestinian consumers and whilst increasing its own off ake from the aquifer above agreed levels. (Chapter 11).
2) "Institutional weakness" of Palestinian institutions handling water issues.
World Bank Report - Executive Summary (Pg. vii, again)
Despite ambitious plans little more than half of the Oslo II “immediate needs” for the West Bank has been developed. So far, planning has been based on the assumption that the PA will develop all new resources agreed at Oslo and in addition get increased access to shared aquifer waters. Actual outcomes have fallen far short of expectations. The new resources accorded under Article 40 for the interim five year period have still not been fully developed. Three wells under the “future needs” allocation have been developed, none of which is operating. Causes of these suboptimal results include governance and occupation-related constraints, institutional weaknesses, lack of finance, and technical problems with developing the groundwater resource. (Chapter 12)
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SOLUTIONS
In terms of a principal/practical non-military solution to this mess of conflicting demands, authorities, egos, and most importantly (lest we forget), simple human needs, there is only one: Desalination of Mediterranean Sea water on a massive scale. This has to take place in both Gaza and Israel. The effort has to be at a level great enough to replace the overpumping of the WB aquifers (~400 MCM/yr) and the over-use of the Jordan River watershed (~100 MCM/yr).
This overpumping and over-use accounts for about 30% of total Israeli water use. Currently there are only two implemented seawater desalination projects in Israel, and none in Gaza. These supply between 2% and 4% of Israel's total needs. More, many more, are needed if some political space is to be created that peace may be given a chance to take hold. This would be a perfect and refreshingly beneficial use of US aid money to Israel.
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[1] Ha'aretz: Water Authority chief: Kinneret level will drop below 'black line' by the end of the year; 2008
[2] Waternet - Jordan River Basin; 2006
[3] My Welcome to Palestine Diary by soysauce; Jul 2009
[4] ei: Palestinian Bedouins in al-Araqib: “We won’t leave” (incl. picture of JNF-planted trees in the desert); 2011
[5] World Bank Report: Assessment of Restrictions on Palestinian Water Sector Development; 2009 (PDF)
[6] CIA World Factbook. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/is.html
[7] Amnesty International: Israel Rations Palestinians to Trickle of Water; 2009
[8] Israeli Ministry of National Infrastructures Water in Israel - Consumption and Production 2001; 2002 (PDF), pg. 10
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Update I: Reading List.
This is a complex subject and there are many, many sources of information on it not included in the diary. angry marmot suggested that a reading list be added, so...
• Stephen Lonergan and David Brooks, Watershed: the Role of Fresh Water in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (1994), available as .pdf download at the IDRC website. (h/t angry marmot)
• Water in the Middle East: Cooperation and Technological Solutions in the Jordan Valley. Edited by K. David Hambright, F. Jamil Ragep, and Joseph Ginat. Foreword by HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan. Preface by David L. Boren. Volume 3 in the International and Security Affairs Series. (University of Oklahoma Press, Norman: 2006. Pg. xiv, 249. 30 B & W Photos. Charts, Graphs, and Maps) ISBN: 0-8061-3758-4. (A relatively recent anthology of ME water-related articles, including Fisher's "Water: Casus Belli or Source of Cooperation?" cited by another American in comments.)
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Update II: Actions/Small Gestures
sofia pointed out below that some Palestinian families are asking for help to repair rainwater collection cisterns damaged by the Occupation. Please Help Rebuild 13 Water Cisterns Destroyed by the Israeli Army. Everyone has a lot going on, but if you can...
weasel points out how often this happens.
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About the series: Adalah ("justice" in Arabic) is a diary series about the Middle East, with special (but not exclusive) emphasis on the Arab-Israeli conflict. The authors of this series believe in the right of self-determination for all the people of the Middle East and that a just resolution respecting the rights and dignity of both Palestinians and Israelis is the only viable option for peace. Our diaries will consist of news roundup and analysis. We invite you to discuss them in the comments or contribute with stories from the region which deserve attention. We ask only that you be respectful and that the number of meta comments be kept to a minimum.