http://www3.haaretz.co.il/eng/scripts/article.asp?mador=4&datee=06/21/00&id=82515
On the water front
By Amira Hass, Ha'aretz,
Wednesday, June 21, 2000
This summer, like every summer, Palestinians are cutting back on water
consumption - unlike us Israelis, who use more water for drinking and
bathing than in winter. Many Palestinians get running water for a day or
two, once every week or two.As it did last summer and the one before
that, the Knesset will again discuss the Palestinians' water situation. The
discussion is scheduled for today, having been added to the agenda after
an emergency request made on Sunday by MK Issam Makhoul
(Hadash). In all likelihood, Makhoul will today hear something similar to a
comment by United Torah Judaism MK Meir Porush during last year's
discussion: "Why does this issue have to be discussed here? After all,
there is a Palestinian Authority that should be dealing with this matter."
His comment reflects widespread ignorance among the Israeli public
about the issue.
Which makes it necessary to remind people: Since the occupation of the
West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1967, Israel controls all the water sources
between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. This control
means, in effect, the exclusive right to open the water sources, determine
the quantities consumed, and to distribute water according to sector and
nationality. The establishment of the PA did not change this fact: Israel
continues to control all water resources on which Palestinians depend.
But according to the Oslo agreement, the Palestinians received
responsibility for managing a large portion of the water system, as well as
permission from Israel to slightly increase the quantity of water by drilling
several new wells in the eastern aquifer only.
Like every summer, Palestinian officials and Israeli officers in the Civil
Administration and officials of the Water Commission or Mekorot, are
trading accusations and conflicting data. This time Ramallah has entered
into this tiresome dispute: The Palestinians have said the Civil
Administration is deliberately delaying its approval for the laying of a
water pipe from a newly drilled well. The Civil Administration has
responded that the delay stems from the Palestinians: For several months
it has been waiting for them to sign the protocol for laying the line.
Protocol? Abd al Kareem Asad, the Palestinian responsible for the
Ramallah district water authority, heard about it for the first time this
week. Up until last week, he says, other reasons were being cited to
explain the delay.
The water authority Asad runs provides water to 210,000 people in
approximately 50 communities, of which 70 percent is purchased from
Mekorot. The quantity was determined in the talks on the interim
agreement. According to the Palestinians, all over the West Bank, every
summer, Mekorot supplies a lower amount than it is supposed to. The
Palestinians pay per month for this water, so the lower monthly bill makes
them aware that they are getting less water.
According to a senior official of the Palestinian Water Authority, the drop
this year is around the 30 percent mark, depending on the area. The Civil
Administration says that is an exaggeration, but confirms that in the
Ramallah area there was an error and in recent weeks a smaller quantity
than stipulated was supplied. The Civil Administration also charged that
the Palestinians steal water: They dig, in Jenin as well as in Ramallah,
illegal wells which have already lowered the water level. The Palestinian
Water Authority confirms that this happens in the Jenin area, and that
with the help of the Palestinian security apparatuses, most, if not all, of the
wells have been sealed. They further explain that these are not deep
wells, the water is intended for irrigation only and that it is in the
Palestinians' interest to fight against these practices. The Palestinians
were unaware of illegal wells in Ramallah.
The Civil Administration adds that in any case, cuts in the quantity Israel
sells the Palestinians are inevitable. After all, it is inconceivable that water
quantities should be cut in Israel when they can easily be cut in the West
Bank instead. Long live equality.
The truth is that the above disputes are only the latest chapter in a water
saga that has been ongoing since 1967: Despite the additional water
allotments mandated by the Oslo agreements, the distribution of water
resources remains the same and it is clearly based on the principle of
inequality. B'tselem's figures show that 79 percent of the water from the
mountain aquifer system - Israel and the Palestinians' clearly common
water system - is allocated to Israeli citizens and 21 percent to
Palestinians. This system supplies most of the water of West Bank
Palestinians and only a third or so of the water consumed by Israel. The
Palestinians in Gaza must make do with (and not draw in excess of) the
portion of the coastal aquifer marked off by the artificial borders
determined in 1948 (plus a small supplement from Israel). In Gaza, they
stopped drinking tap water long ago.
The Israeli principle of water distribution here is that every Palestinian
must make do with around one third to one quarter of the amount that an
Israeli uses. Enforcing a water conservation program in Israel means that
people will not wash their cars and give up green lawns at the entrance to
their homes. An additional water cut for the Palestinians means that tens
or hundreds of thousands more will not drink enough water, use the
bathroom less, not shower for a week or more, do laundry once every two
weeks and risk infection and illness.
