The Israeli organization, B'Tselem, working for the human rights of
Palestinians, has issued a report on the current water crisis. The chronic water
shortage in the West Bank, resulting from an unfair distribution of water
resources shared by the Palestinians and Israel, will be much graver this summer
because of this year’s drought. In the northern West Bank, water consumption has
fallen to one-third of the minimal amount needed.
The 2008 drought, the most serious drought in the area in the past decade,
aggravates the built-in, constant shortage of water in the West Bank. Rainfall
this year in the northern West Bank was 64 percent of average, while in the
southern sections of the West Bank, it was 55 percent. As a result, the water
stored from rainfall has already been used. The Palestinian Water Authority
estimates this year’s water shortage in the West Bank at 42 to 69 million cubic
meters. The total water consumption in the West Bank is 79 mcm. The PWA has
already requested Mekorot – the Israel Water Company – for an emergency supply
of eight mcm.
Severe shortage of water for personal needs
According to the World Health Organization, the per capita minimal amount of
water needed for household and urban needs is one hundred liters a day. Due to
the chronic water shortage, water consumption in the northern West Bank has
dropped to one-third this amount. In Tubas, per capita consumption is 30 liters;
in Jenin, it is 38 liters. In Nablus and the Southern Hebron Hills, the figure
is slightly higher than fifty liters a day.
Average per capita consumption throughout the West Bank is 66 liters, two-thirds
of the minimal amount needed according to the WHO. These figures include water
for livestock, meaning that the water consumed for personal use is even less.
In comparison, average daily water consumption in Israeli cities is 235 liters,
and 214 liters in local councils, 3.5 times higher than Palestinian consumption
in the West Bank.
Villages not connected to a water network
A total of 227,500 Palestinians in 220 towns and villages in the West Bank are
not connected to a water network at all, 75 percent of them in the northern West
Bank. Another 190,000 Palestinians live in villages that are only partially
connected to a water network. Some 20 percent of Palestinians in the West Bank
are not connected to a water network.
Even in Palestinian towns and villages that have a water network, water supply
is not regular most of the year. Water is supplied only some hours of the day,
and sometimes on a rotational basis. In distant areas, water supply may be
disconnected for days or weeks. Residents of communities with water networks
hooked up to Mekorot report that the company discriminates against them,
reducing water supply to Palestinian residents to enable it to meet the
increased demand in the settlements.
To aggravate matters, Palestinian farmers hook up unlawfully to the water
networks in Palestinian communities in Area C. Israeli authorities, which are
charged with enforcing the law in these areas, do not to put an end to the
theft.
Water at inflated prices
Lacking regular water supply, many Palestinians have to buy water on the private
market. Last year, the price for a cubic meter of water ranged from 15-30
shekels, three to six times higher than Israeli households pay. It is expected
that prices will be even higher this year. The high rate of unemployment and
poverty in the West Bank has made water purchases an economic burden for a
substantial portion of the population.
Discrimination in division of water sources
Israel holds complete control of the water sources shared by Israel and the
Palestinians, primarily the Mountain Aquifer, and prohibits by army order any
Palestinian drilling of wells without a permit. At the same time, Israel draws
from the West Bank, primarily from the Jordan Valley, some 44 mcm, five million
more than it supplies to the Palestinian Authority. Israel allocates to
Palestinians only 20 percent of the water from the Mountain Aquifer, and
prevents the PWA to develop additional water sources to enable greater water
supply for Palestinians in the West Bank.
Israel’s obligations under international law
As the occupying power, Israel is required under international humanitarian law
to ensure public order and safety in the occupied territory, without
discrimination. In addition, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights, which Israel ratified, ensures access to clean drinking water
without discrimination. International human rights law also ensures the
Palestinians’ right to utilize and enjoy freely their natural resources.
B'Tselem calls on the government of Israel to ensure, immediately and without
discrimination, adequate, regular water supply to all residents of the West
Bank. B'Tselem also urges the government to allow the Palestinian Authority to
develop new water sources.
Source: PNN
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