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Palestinian Water Authority

5 th World Water Forum-Istanbul 16-22 March 2009 Session 4.1.4: Water Right in Emergency: Be principled or get practical? Water for a Viable Palestinian State: The Right to Water in the Palestinian Context. Palestinian Water Authority. Main Messages.

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Palestinian Water Authority

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  1. 5th World Water Forum-Istanbul 16-22 March 2009 Session 4.1.4: Water Right in Emergency: Be principled or get practical? Water for a Viable Palestinian State: The Right to Water in the Palestinian Context Palestinian Water Authority

  2. Main Messages • The equitable allocation of shared water resources is essential for a viable and prosperous Palestinian state. • Current fresh water allocations between Palestinians and Israelis are highly inequitable and unsustainable. • The Human Right to Water and Sanitation must be realized in the context of the full realization of other Human Rights and the rights of the Palestinians under International Water Law.

  3. Overview of Shared Water Resources • Groundwater: Israel & Palestinians share four aquifers • Surface water: 5 riparians share Jordan River basin • Additional Groundwater for Israel: Naqab & Arabah, Carmel, Tiberia, and Western Galilee Basins

  4. Equitable Sharing of Water Resources • Two-State solution requires establishment of a viable Palestinian State. • To be viable, Palestine must obtain its “equitable and reasonable” share of fresh water (customary international law). • Helsinki Rules (1966) • UN Convention on Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses (1997) • Art. 5 Equitable and Reasonable Utilization • Art. 6 Factors in Determining Equitable and Reasonable (ex. Population) • Solution must be just & sustainable over time.

  5. INEQUITABLE AND UNREASONABLE ALLOCATION Transboundary Water Resources - Palestine and Israel (MCM per year) • Ground Water • Eastern Aquifer 54 (58%) vs. 40 (42%) • Northeastern Aquifer 42 (29%) vs. 103 (71%) • Western Aquifer 22 (6%) vs. 340 (94%) 118 (20%) vs. 483 (80%) • Coastal Aquifer 60 (17%) vs. 300 (83%) Total Ground Water 178 (19%) vs. 783 (81%) • Surface Water • Wadi Gaza 0 vs. 20 • Jordan River Basin 0 vs. 801 • TOTAL ~178 (10%) vs. ~1604 (90%)

  6. Control of Gaza Shared Water Resources • 1.5 million Palestinians (70% below poverty line). • 60 Mcm/year - sustainable yield. • 165 Mcm/year - abstracted (increased salinization/pollution). • Israeli restrictions on water and wastewater infrastructure.

  7. Control Impacting Sanitation in Gaza Breach of Sewage Lagoon in Beit Lahia (March, 2007)

  8. 80 liters/capita/day vs. 320 liters/capita/day Many Palestinian communities less the 15 liters/capita/day This is not “equitable andreasonable” by any measure Chronically less than Human Right to Water minimum core content Israeli and Palestinian Domestic Water Consumption Total Annual Consumption (MCM) On average, Israelis’ domestic consumption is more than four times Palestinians’. 2,300 1,500 1,000 500 335 Palestine (3.6 million) Israel (7.1 million)

  9. IGNORING TRANSBOUNDARY WATER RIGHTS • Israel refuses to engage in negotiations on Palestinian Water Rights – the Equitable and Reasonable Allocation of Transboundary Water. • Israelis are willing to discuss Palestinian Water Needs and make provisions for the supply of those Needs. • Peres Center Conference in Geneva, Switzerland in May 2008 entitled “Defining Water Needs in areas of Fully Exploited Resources”. • Many indications of Israeli mismanagement of water resources (see “The roots of the water crisis” by Prof. Hillel Shuval, Feb. 24, 2009, The Jerusalem Post)

  10. Advocating the Human Right to Water in Palestinian Context and other Human Rights • The Right to Water should never be allowed to become a ceiling/maximum instead of a floor/minimum amount in the Palestinian context. • Advocates should not present Israel with the opportunity to utilize the Right to Water Minimum amounts to establish Palestinian Water Needs with regard to allocating transboundary waters. • Sphere’s 15 l/c/d x Palestinian Population = Palestinian Needs or • 50-100 l/c/d x Palestinian Population = Palestinian Needs THESE ARE MIMIMA FOR HUMAN SURVIVAL - FAR LESS THAN • What’s necessary for a sustainable State, and • Equitable and Reasonable Allocation of Transboundary Waters

  11. Advocating the Human Right to Water in Palestinian Context and other Human Rights • Must not forget other Human Rights Principles when advocating for water resources: Right to Food, Right to Livelihood, Right to Self-Determination, Non-Discrimination, etc.

  12. THANK YOU!

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