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the guiding consideration (in setting the
boundaries of a future state) is economic, and
economic in this connection means water
supply. Chaim Weizmann Paris Peace Conference,
1919 Relinquishing control over water supplies
in the Occupied Palestinian Territories would
threaten the Jewish State. Raphael Eitan
(Minister of Ag.), 1990
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The Role of Freshwater in the Israeli
Palestinian Conflict
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Middle East Water Research
Value of Water
Jordan River Nile River Euphrates River
Water as a Source of Conflict
Water as a Strategic Resource
Market Solutions Economic Restructuring
Regional Solutions
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Theoretical Context E.g., Homer-Dixon Bachler
Gleditsch, Wallensteen, Levy, Deudney
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Water A Special Case?

• Water stands today as one of the most critical
  dangers, one of the most critical breakdowns of
  peace between nations. It has replaced the
  threat of war over oil.
• Wally NDow, opening comments at Habitat II
  (Conference on Human Settlement, 1996)
• Scarcity and misuse of freshwater pose serious
  and growing threats to sustainable development
  and protection of the environment. ICWE, 1992

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Issue is Multi-Dimensional

• Historical (Weizmann quote Mandate Period)
• Spatial (groundwater rivers)
• Physical (scarcity variability)
• Social (equity issues)
• Economic (multipliers pricing)
• Political (terms of agreement)

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Four Assertions

• Water is a strategic resource - closely tied to
  issues of national security
• Water problem or crisis four inter-related
  problems
• Water quantity
• Water quality
• Geopolitics
• Data
• Most obvious, and least costly, solutions are
  least palatable and
• There will not be a war over water in the Middle
  East.

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The Peace Process A Short History
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Water as a Strategic Resource

• 1) Resources as strategic goals. Historical
  accounts blatant discrimination in water
  pricing, allocation and delivery
• Resources as strategic targets. Cutting water
  supply to Jerusalem in 1948 National water
  carrier development

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• 3) Resources as strategic tools. Discussions on
  cutting water to Beirut in 1982 Cut electricity
  (but not water) to Jalazun refugee camp during
  the first intifada Total control over water by
  the Military Authority
• 4) Resource inequities as roots to conflict.
  (see below)

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• 5) Environmental services and conditions as roots
  to conflict. Diversion of saline springs into
  Lower Jordan Deep well drilling has affected
  shallow Palestinian wells

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Odds and Ends

• In 1967, the water supplies under Israeli control
  increased by 50
• Israel is very efficient in its use of water
• Water loss in Palestinian communities is very
  high (50?), due to
• Leakage
• Faulty meters and
• Stolen water
• Israel and the Palestinians have a written
  agreement that water would not be part of 2nd
  intafada hostilities

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Resource Inequities

• All water decisions allocations, data, new
  wells, etc., controlled by Israeli Military
  Authority (Civil Administration)
• Discriminatory Pricing (1.8 2.1 NIS for
  Palestinians 0.3 0.5 NIS for settlers)
• No Palestinian has received authority to drill a
  new well for agricultural purposes since 1967

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Inequities (cont)

• Palestinian wells (domestic use) only allowed to
  be 70 m in depth Mekorot wells are 300 400 m
  (in WB)
• Water allocations recognize only existing uses of
  water for Palestinians, this means 1967 uses
• Delivery irregular
• 175 villages in the WB not supplied with piped
  water