Session Report Cover Sheet

SESSION CODE: PEAC - 10
Name of Convener(s): Dr. Loay Froukh
DATE:
21 - March, 2003 / Session Title:The PalestinianIsraeli water conflict (Assessment of Oslo Accord and Reality)

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Session Report

SESSION CODE: PEAC - 10
Reporter/Rapporteur: Dr. Loay Froukh
Contact E-mail:
  1. Key Issues

Peace for Water is essential for achieving sustainable development of water courses and aquifers in the middle East region in general and between Palestinians and Israelis in particular. However, water nature might cause tension between parties, it can be a potential source for cooperation if the good wells and intentions do exist.

In case of Palestinian Israeli water conflict, the key issues are:

  • The first main issue is the sovereignty of the Palestinians over their land in the first place (West Bank and Gaza) and over the water under the ground. The Israeli side still denies Palestinian water rights in this regard.
  • The second important issue is the equitable share of available resources from the shared surface and ground water basins.
  • The third issue is implementation of the international law and Un conventions on the Palestinian Israeli water issues as basis for final resolution to the conflict.
  • The fourth issue is the regional cooperation to solve the scarcity of water in the various neighboring countries.
  • The last key issue is the support and mediation of the a third party (international community) to resolve the conflict in a justice way.
  1. Actions

The following actions are needed:

  • The international community should work very hard to put a justice end to the Palestinian/ Israeli water conflict based on the International law and UN conventions.
  • The Israeli government must stop their offensive on Palestinian land and resources. They should allow Palestinians to control their own resources and facilitate the credibility to these resources.
  • The Palestine is considered as riparian country, therefore they should be involved in the regional actions to share and protect Jordan River resources.
  • The international community should work hard in funding the Palestinian infrastructure which has been damaged through the long years of occupation.
  1. Commitments

Through the discussion in and after the session, there are no commitment from Israeli side to meet again in the region to discuss in more details water issues as a preparation stage to final status negations.

Similarly, there is no commitment from delegates to follow this issues with the international community to secure more funds and to help the parties to work out a solution. The reason for such no commitment is mainly due to change in the level of priorities of the international community. The war with Iraq is becoming the most important issue in the Middle East at this stage. In the light of this, the future of the Palestinian Israeli conflict is not optimistic.

  1. Recommendations

International law should become more powerful tool in the transboundary water conflict preventing aberration. Efforts should be increased across the world to reach integrated and aquifer wide management agreements among all states. This should be be reflected on the Palestinian Israeli water conflict as the main basis for final agreement on water.

Interstate cooperation over tansboundary water courses and aquifers is an extensive process. In many regions of the developing world especially in Palestine, there is no infrastructure for Palestinians towns and villages. There is a need for the international community to allocate the necessary funds for such projects and many others.

Regarding the shared aquifers and water courses there is a need to create an international shared water facility as funding mechanism to support activities related to regional shared resources in the Middle in general and between Israelis and Palestinians in particular.

In addition, there is a need to establish a water mediation facility that could provide for third party mediation in case of disputes between the Palestinians and Israelis. This international facility should be a joint endeavor of the UN entities. This facility envisaged to cooperate the funding mechanism and should be able to work with basin authorities, governments and stakeholders to resolve particularly water related disputes.

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