Contents

 Introduction
…………………………………………………….2

 Water in west
bank………………………………………………3
- Ground
water………………………………………………3
• Groundwater basins in the West
Bank…………...…3
• Springs………………………………………….
..…4
• Wells…………………………………………..
……4

- Surface water………………………………………...
…….5
• Jordan river……………………………………..
…..5

 Palestinian consumption of
water…………………………….....6

 Water-sharing
plans…………………………………………..…8
• Johnston plan………………………………………..
……8
• OSLO ACCORDS…………………………………..
……8
• Red Sea - Dead Sea Water Conduit
Project…………...….8

 Israeli practices against the Palestinian

Water……………….....10
• The insulation wall and the water
theft……………………...14

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 • Major Zionist water projects……………………………...…
14

 The international law and the Palestinian

rights………………..15

 Conclusion…………………………………………………
…...16

 References……………………………………………………
…17

Introduction:

Water means life and it is a basic source in all human activities. All
ancient civilizations flourished only near water sources and then probably
collapsed when the water supply failed.
Water is a finite resource, essential for agriculture, industry and
human existence. Without water of adequate quantity and quality,
sustainable development is impossible. The need for water and water
supply systems are increasing rapidly as a direct result of human
population growth, improved standards of living and industrial expansion
as well as escalating need for food in dry climate regions.
One key of peace in the Middle East is to agree on the division of
the shared Water, Israel occupies a lot of Arab water resources, and steal
large quantities of water at a time the Arabs and specifically Palestinians
suffering from a great lack of water.
Israel controls most of the water sources in the West Bank and take
measures against the Palestinians in way such impede the development of
the Palestinian Water sector.

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 Water in west bank

The amount of water that fall on the west bank approximated by 3

billion m3 yearly, more than 70% of this water lost in evaporation; 3% is
surface water and 27% is ground water.
The main reason behind the water crisis in the West Bank is unfair
division of shared water resources between the West Bank and Israel.
Mountain basins are the only source of groundwater in Palestine;
However Israel is stealing water from these basins, Palestinians consume
120 millions m3 whereas the Israeli consume 490 millions m3 yearly.

Water resources in the west bank are divided into ground and surface
water

Ground water

I. Groundwater basins in the West Bank:

 The north-eastern basin:

1- nablus, jenin and gelbon basin:
It is Located on an area of 500 km2, about 140 millions m3 are
annually pumped from it, and the annual nutrition is estimated to 90
million m3.
2- Te'ennek and gelbon basin:

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 It is include Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Hebron; but its water
consumed by Israeli settlements.
 Eastern basin:
This basin extends over the highlands at an altitude of 900-400m in
the Jordan Valley, This is a small water recharge basin since it occurs in
low rainfall areas; its annual recharge about 125 million m3.
 Western basin:
1- Aloja -Altemsah basin:
Provides 20% of the Palestinian water needs, 400 millions m3 are
pumped yearly while its annual nutrition about 360 millions m3.

2- Hebron – Beersheba basin:

20 millions m3 are pumped yearly while its annual nutrition about
18 millions m3.

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 Figure 1: Groundwater basins in the West Bank

II. Springs:
In the west bank there is about 300 springs which vary in the water
quantity and freshness, springs supply us with 50 million m3, 5 million
m3 consumed for drinking and the rest in agriculture.

III. Wells:
Supply the Palestinians with 70 million m3 yearly from more than 300
wells, this quantity is not enough so we have to buy water from Israel.

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Surface water

The main sources of surface water in Palestine are Tabarya Lake

which is occupied in 1948,the Jordan valley and the dead see; all of
these sources are under the Israeli domination and it is not allowable to
Palestinians to use it.

Jordan River:
Jordan River is the most important source of surface water in the
region, it passes through five countries: Lebanon, Syria, Jordan,
Palestine and "Israel".
The Jordan River’s three headwaters are the Hasbani River, the Dan
River, and the Banias River, which is part of the Hasbani River flow in
Lebanon. The latter, which has an average flow of 140 mcm/yr, was, until
June 2000, incorporated into the occupied Israeli ‘security zone’ in
Southern Lebanon. The Dan and Banias rivers originate in the Golan
Heights and flow into the Jordan River above Lake Tabariyya, with an
average annual flow of 250 and 150 mcm/yr respectively. These rivers
join to form the Upper Jordan River. After leaving Lake Tabariyya, the
Lower Jordan River forms the boundary between Israel and Jordan and
then between the West Bank and Jordan, before flowing into the Dead
Sea, which is fed by groundwater and by the Yarmouk River (average
flow of 420 mcm/yr). There are thus five parties sharing the Jordan
River: Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Syria and Palestine.
Israel draws water from the north-western portion of Lake Tabariyya
and transports it out of the Jordan River Basin through its National Water
Carrier to coastal cities and the Negev Desert. The amount of water
extracted allows very little water to flow naturally out of Lake Tabariyya.
This means that only a trickle passes along the West Bank in the bed of
the Lower Jordan River. In addition, Israel has denied Palestinians access
to the entire Lower Jordan River since 1967. After the start of Israel’s
military occupation in 1967, Israel declared West Bank land adjacent to
the Jordan River a “closed military zone,” to which only Israeli settlers
and soldiers have access.

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 Figure 2: Jordan River Water

Palestinian consumption of water:

The average Palestinian per capita consumption of water is 66 liters

per day which is about two thirds of the amount recommended by the
World Health Organization; and this quantity includes water used for the
needs of plants and animals, on the other hand The average Israeli per
capita consumption reaches up to 235 liters which equal 4 times the
Palestinian consumption in cities and 10 times in settlements.
That the West Bank is threatened by a large lack in water due to
Israeli behavior, 460 thousand of the settlers are draining 140 million
liters of water in the West bank, the Israeli government destroyed more
than 455 wells and about 1880 Water Reservoir in the last 7 years.

Table 1: comparison in water consumption between Palestinians and settlers

Population Consumed water
million daily (million leter)
West bank 2.4 160
settlement 0.5 142

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Figure 3: water resources in west bank and Gaze strip (2004 – 2007)

Figure 4: Water quantity bought from Israel (2003 – 2007)

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 Water-sharing plans:
Western countries suggest agreements and plans for the division of
water between Arab countries and Israel, some of these plans are:
 Johnston plan:
Suggested in 1950s to divide the Jordan River water between Israel
and other Arab countries

Table 2: Water devision according to Johnston plan

Country Suggested quantity Real water
(Million m3) consumption (Million
m3)
Jordan 720 220
Syria 132 200
Lebanon 35 20
"Israel" 400 650
Palestine 320 0

 OSLO ACCORDS:
This agreement signed in 1993 and according to it; Palestinians get
13.5% from the total ground water basin which is approximated by 100
million m3
Under the Oslo Accords “Israel recognizes the Palestinian water
rights in the West Bank. These will be negotiated in the permanent status
negotiations and settled in the Permanent Status Agreement relating to
the various water resources.

 Red Sea - Dead Sea Water Conduit Project :

In 2005, the governments of the three countries surrounding the

Dead Sea – Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Territories – agreed on a
way to halt the sea’s decline. The proposed solution entails building a
110 mile canal and tunnel system to transfer water from the Red Sea to
the Dead Sea. The three parties asked the World Bank to oversee the
implementation of a feasibility study and environmental and social
assessment for the project in accordance with the Bank’s policies and
guidelines.

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 Figure 5: Red Sea - Dead Sea Water Conduit Project

The proposed Red-Dead sea canal route

Restoring the water level in the Dead Sea is not the project’s only
objective. Project proponents aim to utilize the transfer of water from the
Red Sea, which is at an altitude 400 meters above that of the Dead Sea,
to generate hydroelectric power. Perhaps of even higher priority is the
use of the project to boost water supplies to the riparian countries. The
transferred water will undergo a desalination process on its way from the
Red Sea in order to extract drinking water for use by populations in
Jordan, Israel and Palestine.

The deposit of the residual concentrated salt water (or "brine") in the
Dead Sea raises concerns about potential damage to the sea’s chemical
composition and biology.

The feasibility study for the project is expected to take about 2 years
and will cost $15.5 million. The study is to be financed through a multi-
donor trust fund, and the project itself could cost as much as $5 billion
and take up to 20 years to complete.

Measures of development of the Palestinian Authority:

The Palestinian authority established the water authority in 1996 to
restructure the water sector and water resources management.
The Water Authority has worked since its inception to establish projects
to develop water resources; Authority has drilled several wells and
maintains other wells and water pumping stations, although Israel
prohibits Palestinians drilling of new wells.

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Israeli practices against the Palestinian Water

Before the Israeli occupation in 1948 the average per capita water
consumption was similar to both Palestinians and Jews, but after the
occupation Israel put obstacles to stop the development of the
Palestinian water sector and big gap in the water consumption appeared
between the Palestinians and Israelis for Israelis.
In 1964; Israel has begun to use the waters of the Jordan River
without concern for the rights of other countries that participating in the
river and it transformed the Jordan River through the “national water
carrier”, and started the transfer of 450 million m3 of water to the Negev
desert. In 1967, Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the
Golan Heights and took control on the water in the lower part of the
Jordan River and destroyed the water pumps and agricultural land in the
Jordan Valley. In 1978, Israel occupied southern Lebanon and took
control of the water sources feeding the Jordan River.
Israel has built settlements above the water basins to control it
and pumped large quantities of water, these settlements contaminating
Palestinian water sources, Israeli occupation Prevent the development of
the water network and maintenance of water networks and sewage
networks; which led to the mixing of contaminated water with clean
water And increase the amount of lost water in the networks.

According to a report by the Central Statistics Palestinian territories

that consume 270 million in the West Bank and 120 million in the Gaza
Strip; while Palestinians need 400 million m3 and the Palestinians need
to water increases with increasing the number of population and
economic development.
According the World Health Organization the per capita share of
water must be not less than 100 liters per day while the Palestinian per
capita get 30 50 liters per day and the Israeli per capita get 150 to 200
liters per day in cities and more than 300 liters in settlements.

An Amnesty International report paints a picture of many Palestinian

families struggling - and often failing - to secure enough water for
drinking, cleaning, and agriculture while Israelis, including residents of
Jewish settlements in the West Bank, have all they need for lush,
irrigated farmland, swimming pools and gardens.

Amnesty also suggests that taxpayers in countries who donate aid to

the Palestinians are facing unnecessarily high costs to meet severe water
shortages because their governments are unwilling to challenge "the

11
most unreasonable" restrictions imposed by Israel on Palestinian access
to the regionally scarce resource.

It claims the 450,000 settlers who have taken up residence in the

West Bank and East Jerusalem since the Six-Day War in 1967 consume
as much as or more than the 2.3 million Palestinians living in the West
Bank. It says the overall Palestinian per capita consumption of 70 liters
per day compares with the WHO recommended level of 100 liters and
Israeli consumption of 300.

Between 180,000 and 200,000 Palestinians living in rural

communities - especially in the Israeli controlled "Area C" which
comprises 60 per cent of the West Bank - have no access to running
water. According to Amnesty, the Israeli military "often" prevents them
from accessing rainwater - for example by destroying water-harvesting
cisterns or even confiscating water tankers.

At the same time all ministries highlight the unequal distribution of

water from the mountain aquifer which is the principal groundwater
resource for both communities, most of which is located in the West
Bank, and from which Israel draws 80 per cent. It also points out that
using water for Israel's supplies from the River Jordan - as Jordan does,
and Syria and Lebanon do further upstream - before the river reaches the
West Bank, deprives Palestinians of any access to the river's water.

The report is critical of past mismanagement by the Palestinian

Water Authority and says the international donors sometimes lack
coordination in funding water-related projects in the occupied territories.
But the bulk of the report blames Israeli restrictions and repeated
refusals to grant permits for wells and other installations.

It is expected as an outlook that the consumption need for Palestinians to

be:
Table 3: Expected Water Consumption in Future
Year Expected need (million m3)
2011 490
2020 670

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 Palestinians wants the international law as a starting point for
negotiations and they want to define their water rights according to its
protocols, they are demanding a full sovereignty over water resources in
the Palestinian state, on the other hand Israelis refuse negotiations based
on international law, claiming that it was not clear and not
commensurate with the Palestinian-Israeli situation because Palestine is
not a state. Israelis see the Palestinian water rights are the right to use
quantities of water and not sovereignty over water sources, and they
want the negotiations to be based on Palestinian acceptance of the
existing use of water and they want the Palestinians to go to alternatives
such as desalination and water re-use refined.
Israelis know that their position on the Palestinian water rights
contrary to international law and they must recognize that they are
occupation force, That international law does not recognize the Israeli
measures on Palestinian water sources and they don’t have mandate
over the Palestinian water resources management.
Since the Israeli occupation in 1967, Israel has built settlements over
the water-rich regions, and issued a number of military decisions that
make the Palestinian water under full Israeli control and some of these
decisions:
• All the water in the territories occupied by Israel are the
property of the State of Israel
• Given the power to control all matters related to water to the
water officer who is choosed by the Israeli army.
• Prevent Palestinians from building any water structure without
obtaining a license and the water officer has the right to refuse
to give a license without giving the reasons.
• The status of all wells and springs and water projects under the
direct authority of the military ruler.
Israel has practices against the Palestinians, including:

• The confiscation of some wells for the settlements and the wall of
racial segregation.
• Prevention of drilling new wells by preventing giving permits for
the drilling of these wells
• Determine the depth of wells, which affects the amount of water
can be pumped from these wells
• Deprive Palestinians of their historic rights of water in the Jordan
River.
• The high price of water distributed by the Israeli company
“Mekorot” of the Palestinian territories.
• Water pollution resulted from wastewater of the settlements.

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• Destroying many of the wells during Al aqsa intifada.
• The maximum allowable pumped water less than 100 m3/hr .

• Building small dams for impounding the waters of the wadis and
the denial Palestinian from water access to their lands.
• transportation of stolen Palestinian’s water through the
settlements into Israeli cities Israel seizes 85% of the water of aquifers,
which is close to 600 million m3 and consume more than a billion cubic
meters of water from the Jordan River, Israel captured all water sources
in the Golan and Mount Hermon, where the main sources of the Jordan
River.
Mir Ben-Meir the President of the Israeli delegation to the High Joint
Committee for Water said that Palestinians can not get additional
quantities of water; and asked Palestinians to search for other sources of
water like depending on desalination of sea water or Purchase water
from Israel, These statements reflect the Israeli position of the water
which base on:
• Using force to pressure in the negotiations.
• Focus on regional projects like Red Sea - Dead Sea Water
Conduit Project, Desalination of sea water and importing water.
• Destruction of many of the wells and pumps in the Jordan
Valley under the pretext of security issues.
• Contamination water of the Jordan River and the theft of
large quantities of its water.

In addition to the theft of Palestinian water, the Israelis are causing

pollution of drinking water and destroying the environment and prevent
the eco-development projects, Also refused to give licenses to set up
water projects, This caused a large decrease in drinking water in the city
of Nablus Reached 38%, and it prevented the crews of municipal
maintenance of networks and pumping stations.
The Israeli human rights (baitsailim) Warned from the large gap in
the water next summer in the West Bank and its great impact on the
economic situation and health of Palestinians, and they said that the real
cause of this decrease is the discrimination policy that Israel follow in
the distribution of shared water in the West Bank and because of the
restrictions imposed by Israel on Palestinians in drilling wells; and the
problem is aggravated with passing time

14
The insulation wall and the water theft

In June 2002 Israel began building the insulation wall in the West
Bank to prevent Palestinian attacks as it claims, this wall lead to the
destruction and the isolation of more than 150 wells in additional to
many springs.

The isolated areas because of the wall located above the west and
north-east basins with discharge capacity of 500 million m3 yearly, The
number of groundwater wells in these areas is estimated at 165 wells
pumping 33 million m3 per year, and The number of springs 53 springs
pumping 22 million m3 per year .

The extracted Water from the lands isolated behind the wall Used
for human consumption and industrial, agricultural and tourism, and this
means that Israel is stealing large amounts of the Palestinian water in
way that threatening the lives of Palestinians, and the wall cuts off all
inland rivers in the Jordan Valley

Major Zionist water projects:

• gelgal water project: one of the most water project that Israel built
to irrigate settlements and its Farms by connecting pipes to the Jordan
valley

• Im Ktirit project:Aims to use the waters of the Yarmouk River in

winter by pumping 25 million m3 of water from the river into Lake
Tiberias.

• Bethlehem project: Drilling a huge well with a depth of up to 1000

m in south east of Bethlehem and its pump 12-17 million m3 into Israel.

• Alzawia project: building a wall behind alzawia village in nablus

with production capacity up to 100 m3/hr to supply the Nearby
settlements

• Batn Al goul project: contain 3 wells with production capacity up

to 800 m3/hr to supply 5 settlements and army camp in Bethlehem

15
The international law and the Palestinian rights

Israelis based on the principle of priority of use when talking about

international law and thus justify the sharp disparity between the
Palestinian and Israeli consumption of water.

In fact, international law, especially the rules of Helsinki, which took

the principle of precedence as a factor used in the division of
international shared water, did not support the Israeli allegations, The
current use of water is one of the seven factors in addition to the
geographical factors, the environment, climate in addition to social and
economic needs and the availability of water sources.

The non navigational use of international water course points out that
the current use one of the factors that take in care in the equitable
division of shared water resources and the Israeli current use is product
of illegal acts, and one of the fundamental principles of international
law that cannot be created benefit from an illegal act.

Palestinian negotiator calls to the definition of Palestinian water

rights as the rights in water sources for national and shared water and the
Jordan River as the only way to reach to a peace agreement between
Palestinians and Israelis.

16
Conclusion

As we note the Palestinian water sources is limited and the water

needs increase with the population increase and industrial development,
Israel don’t have the right to take over the Palestinian water at the time
Palestinians don’t find drinking water.
This report may contain contrariety numbers and statistics and that is
because the source of these numbers, at the time Israeli statistics tries to
show that the gap between the Palestinian Israeli water consumption is
small; all the Palestinian and international committees’ statistic show
that there is big gap between the Palestinian and Israelis consumption.
Settlements was built on occupied land and it is not legal according to
international law and so it must removed so; the Israeli try to steal the
maximum amount of water through it, and by these settlements the
Israeli contaminate the Palestinian water.

17
References:

• Sustainable Development and Management of Water

in Palestine, Amjad Eliewi, Karen Assaf, Anan Jayyousi,
2007

• Geography of Palestine, Birzeit University, 2008

• http://www.google.ps/search?
hl=ar&q=palestinian+and+israeli+water+conflict+pdf&lr=&
aq=f&oq=.

• http://mideastnews.com/WaterWars.htm

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