Since the creation of Israel in 1948 and the massive arrival of Jews in the Palestinian territory, the conflicts between the Israelites and Palestinians have regulary taken place. In addition to the religious and political problems, there remains the issue of water as well. This point is certainly mediated but weighs less in this battle.
Is the control of this resource a real stake in this area? To answer this question, this document will first of all study the geographical location of the frontier countries of Israel and the principal water points disputed by these States. After this, the economic and ecological stakes are discussed. Lastly, it will show in what ways the control of water is necessary for the growth and the development of these two countries. However, it would seem that with the presence of its military superiority, Israel monopolizes the major part of the hydraulic resources of the territory.
The State of Israel, a country of the Middle East is surrounded by the Mediterranean in the west, bordered by Lebanon in north, Syria and Jordan in the east, the Gulf of Aqaba and Egypt in the south. The current borders, resulting from the division of Palestine, do not correspond to those which were fixed, on May 14, 1948, at the time of the proclamation of the State of Israel by the United Nations. Shortly after the agreements of armistice of 1949, Israel found itself with widened borders and the borders still increased after the Six Day war in June 1967 with the conquest of the Sinai, of the Gaza Strip, of the West Bank, of the Arab part of Jerusalem and Golan.
These territories annexed by Israel do not belong to the State of Israel. In 1993, according to the agreements of Oslo of the Gaza Strip, the town of Jericho in the West Bank was to become autonomous. Following this treaty, a Palestinian State was to be born. In August 2005, Israel decided to leave the Gaza Strip, while preserving the control of the borders: at present, all the Palestinian territories are occupied and controlled by the Israeli army. In 1967, water from the occupied territories by Israel was placed under military control. Thus, approximately 80% of available water is captured by Israel. According to 1994 figures, Israel consumes 1.7 billion cubic meters of water per year and Palestine only 219. In addition, the Israeli government prohibits Palestinians from drilling new wells on their own land.
Tags: Israel; Palestine; prinicipal water points under dispute; economic and ecological stakes
[...] The use of water in the agricultural sector should be reduced by limiting certain crops which require high quantity of water and the use of water for new irrigation techniques can be developed and optimized: drip irrigation, trickle irrigation, and evaporation may be limited by covering land with plastic (very expensive). However, the desire to "make the desert bloom" with agriculture is at the center of Jewish Zionism, and agriculture remains an important activity in Israel, both strategically and ideologically. [...]
[...] -Health issues: The disparity in the distribution of water resources in this region cause enormous harm to the Palestinian people. The lack of clean running water hinders the development of a healthy lifestyle for the Palestinians. This basic lack of amenity causes many diseases and epidemics such as malaria, amoebic or skin problems. In addition, according to a study conducted by the European Union, nearly 26% of the West Bank population suffer from chronic diarrhea and over 19% from frequent vomiting. [...]
[...] Environmental challenges -Gradual drying up of the main water sources: For several years, there has been a massive drainage of the main water sources of the Israeli-Palestinian territory. The gradual disappearance of water resources is due to many factors, primarily the over-pumping of groundwater. Today, the West Bank aquifers produce only 170 million cubic meters against 325 million (the ground can be filled properly and are not subject to over-pumping). Lake Tiberias is also a victim of over-pumping and diversion of waters for irrigation of the Negev Desert. [...]
[...] It involves many countries in the region which of course Israel and Palestine as well as states such as Egypt, Syria and Jordan. Israel now controls the water resources of the entire region as a single interest. Palestine faces problems due to lack of water (about 20% of the water territory). Again a deep injustice. The Zionist state uses the water to its own advantage in every way possible, while Palestinians are desperately short of water. For simplicity I will say what I saw: -On one hand, intensive cultivation, a terrible mess, swimming pools, golf courses requires water. On [...]
[...] This practice requires, in addition, a very important investment and needs to be applied with caution to avoid degradation of the soil quality. Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority reflect on the feasibility of a canal linking the Red Sea to the Dead Sea. This channel, which would be built next to Jordan, would aim to raise the level of the Dead Sea by the excessive pumping of water from the Jordan (feeding the Dead Sea), to irrigate farmland and generate of electricity to power a desalination center. [...]
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