Feature: Water crisis pinpoints root cause of enmity in West Bank

In the dry West Bank region riddled with conflicts, water shortage is also a source of dispute as it is posing a threat to the lives and livelihood of the local residents.

The water crisis here is not new, but as the climate gets hotter and the population grows, there is less water to go around, especially in the hot summer.

Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Middle-East War. Since then, more and more Israeli Jews have started to settle in this land, living side by side with Palestinians.

Israeli occupation of the land has not been recognized internationally. Palestinians and the majority of the world see the territory as an integral part of a future Palestinian state.

According to B'Tselem, an Israeli NGO dealing with human rights issues in the Israeli-occupied territories, the Oslo Accords signed in 1993 between the two parties established a water allocation system by which 80 percent of the water pumped in the West Bank goes to the Israelis, with the remaining 20 percent to the Palestinians.

This cannot meet the basic daily needs of the Palestinian population in the region.

Emmanuel Nahshon, spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry, describes the problem differently. He says the water pipes are old, small and have many leaks, in addition to a constant problem of water theft by Palestinians. Nahshon denies any wrongdoing on sharing this natural resource.

"There is no discrimination. Everyone has to deal with the problem. There is no abuse," says Nahshon.

But Roy Yellin of B'Tselem does not agree. When asked about the water shortage in the Jewish settlements, Yellin dismisses such claims.

"Of course there is discrimination. I presume that in the settlements they have problems but it is not in any way parallel, equal or congruent. The settlements are illegal and therefore not a basis for comparison," he says.

The main difference is that the Israeli settlements are connected to the country's main water grid, while the Palestinian areas are not.

When the Oslo Accords were signed more than 20 years ago, they were intended to be an interim agreement and a foundation for a permanent one.

Since then, Israelis and Palestinians have grown further apart. They have stopped negotiating on any issue including the water crisis -- a basic issue that should top any political conflict.

The 1993 agreement stipulated that a joint committee should convene on a regular basis to deal with the division of this natural resource. However, the committee has not met in years, leaving the water crisis in the West Bank an outstanding issue.

Israel blames the crisis on Palestinians' reluctance to cooperate in repairing and upgradeing the outdated infrastructure.

"We would be very happy to cooperate with the Palestinians," said the spokesman.

But the Palestinians tell another side of the story.

In a statement released by Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah a few weeks ago, he accused Israel of waging a "water war."

"Israel wants to prevent Palestinians from leading a dignified life and uses its control over our water resources to this end. While illegal Israeli settlements enjoy uninterrupted water service, the Palestinians are forced to spend great sums of money to buy water that is theirs in the first place," he said.

Deep Abdel Ghafor, acting General Manager of Water Resources in the Palestinian Water Authority, says the lack of freedom is the major problem.

"The main reason is the Israeli occupation. Israel controls all the water resources. I don't have the option to do what I want with water. I need permits for everything, including repairs and importing parts," says Abdel Ghafor.

Even as there have been reports that Israeli settlements have had difficulties with their water supply in this year's summer months, the situation in the Palestinian areas is only much worse.

According to B'Tselem, Palestinians have to pay for any additional water received from Israelis who control the resources.

"This is a joint resource. It should have been shared equally. Water should be given to the Palestinians, not sold," says Yellin.

As one of the world leaders in using recycled water, Israel refuses to allow neighboring Palestinians to reap the benefits of the advanced technology.

Meanwhile, the Oslo Accords, which could possibly be considered favorable for the Palestinians when it was signed, no longer reflects the reality on the ground.

"We are still stuck with the same quantities and there has been an increase in demand," says Ghafor.

If the two sides do not find a solution to the water shortage, a humanitarian crisis could be on the way.

"There are mechanisms in the West Bank that prevent a severe humanitarian crisis," says Yellin. "But in 2016, there is no reason that the daily average water usage per capita in the Palestinian territories under Israeli control should be so low."

The World Health Organization recommends a minimum of 100 liters per day per person, but the average Palestinian in the West Bank is consuming only 70 liters on a daily basis.

As long as the outdated Oslo Accords are still in place and both sides fail to cooperate on such critical issue, civilians on this land will continue to suffer. Endit