Palestinian Water Sector Ambitions and Opportunities R El

Palestinian Water Sector Ambitions and Opportunities R. El Sheikh Deputy Chairman, Palestinian Water Authority THE WATER GEOPLOITICS ROUND TABLE TURIN March, 2007

GAZA STRIP

Mountain Aquifers/West Bank

Water Sector Institutional Framework

Investment Plan/ West Bank

Weakness factors 1. Internal Factors 1. 1 Weak Enforcement of the law 1. 2 No sufficient attention by the PA ( NWC, Government, Presidency office) 1. 3 Deteriorating consumers’ water culture 1. 4 Lack of integrity among related PA organizations

Weakness factors 2. External Factors 2. 1 Israeli incursions directed most efforts towards emergency works rather than development 2. 2 Donor community is reluctant to fulfill its commitments 2. 3 Political situation is affecting negatively the socioeconomic dimension.

Palestinian Water Rights References • Eastern Aquifer Ownership • Equitable Distribution from South West and North East Aquifers • Equitable Distribution of Wadis East Gaza • Recover Complete Water Rights in Jordan Valley Basin • Riparian Rights of the Dead Sea, Political and Natural Resources • Regional Rights in the Mediterranean • Compensation against the Israeli Actions since 1967

Overall Water Allocation The Israeli View in Camp David Perpetuate the current inequitable allocation and provide funding for new water to enhance Palestine’s share New Palestine Israel New

Overall Water Allocation The Palestinian View (Step 1) Palestine Israel Reallocate the existing water resources, generating equitable allocations

Overall Water Allocation The Palestinian View ( Step 2) Develop and allocate the “new water” - note that the end point is the same as in the Israeli approach New Palestine Israel New

Opportunities • A fair agreement on water must be included in the Permanent Status Solution. This will support peace initiatives and diffuse conflicts, which is the interest of both parties. • Customary international water law calls for the equitable and reasonable allocation of shared water resources. • Joint management of the shared water resources is inevitable if the agreement is to be effective. • The provision of “new water” from desalination is the long term solution.