WATER CRISIS IN PALESTINE, ISRAEL CONTROLS WATER RESOURCES

Ramallah, 10 Jumadil Awwal 1434/22 March 2013 (MINA) – Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) and Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) said that Israel is now controling almost all of water sources in the Palestinian territories.

PCBS revealed the statement in a press release and their official website on Thursday (21/3) to commemorate the world water day on Friday (22/3), as monitored by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA).

According to PCBC and PWA, Israel right now using 85% of water supply of all water resources in the Palestinian territories to distribute it to the Israeli settlers. While the Palestinians only gets 15% of water suply in their region.

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Israel set up a high price for the Palestinian people. In West Bank, the price of water reaches 27 NIS per cubic meter. and in Gaza, the price of water reaches 24 NIS per cubic meter. While the water supplies to the Israeli settlers are for free.

The problem of water supply is also being a major obstacle for Palestinians. For them, the water flows a few hours into their homes in limited numbers. As for Israeli settlers, they get fourfold than Palestinians.

The unfair distribution resulted conflicts between the Palestinians and the Israeli government. They seized Palestinian water resources, but the distribution is not fair to surrounding residents. According to survey by the PWA in 2011, as much as 89.4% of the population in the West Bank and 96.3% of Gazans depend on the water supply of Israeli government.

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In addition, the problem of water resources in Palestine was discussed at the Oslo agreement in 1995. In the 40th article , it explained the distribution of water in the Palestinian territories as well as the implementation of development projects. But Israel Denied the agreement by controlling almost entire water resources in Palestinian territories.

Meanwhile, a number of local associations criticized the injustice of Israeli government in providing water suply to Palestinian people, Israel did not set a specific schedule for the distribution of water supply to the Palestinians.

Water discharge in Palestine is very abundant. It should not be a crisis, especially if it is supported by a number of development projects of water. But the Israeli government controls the water resources and did not distribute fairly among the Palestinian people. (T/P04)

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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)