Earth Report - 2003 - Conflict over water in Israel/Palestine

Water may not cause outright wars between nations, but it can pit neighbour against neighbour and community against community. The real wars over water are quietly taking place at local level, where it can be used as a military or political tool.

In the Middle East water is more important than anything else. Without a reliable supply, life simply isn't possible. In the Israeli occupied West Bank, the balance of power is played out in the allocation of water rights between Jews and Palestinians.

Kayed Jaber is a Palestinian. For generations, his family has farmed a valley near Hebron. Kayed and his brother Ismael grow fruit and vegetables for market - an activity made possible in the parched desert by the ancient technique of storing rainwater in underground reservoirs. But the old reservoirs are not big enough so the brothers are building two new ones.

In the hills above Ismael and Kayed's lands, there is an Israeli settlement called Kyriat Arbat, where the settlers enjoy lush green parkland and a swimming pool. The settlement is connected to the Israeli water grid so they don't need to collect rainwater - they can just turn on the tap.

Since the 1967 Arab-Israeli conflict, the population of Israel and the West Bank has more than doubled. Both Arab and Israeli statistics show that in another 25 years the population in this part of the country is set to double again. As numbers increase, daily life becomes an increasingly bitter competition for land and water.

Now, Kayed and Ismael's water problem has turned into a battle with the Israeli Civil Administration.

The Civil Administration believe that Kayed and Ismael's reservoirs haven't been built to catch rainwater but to store water illegally diverted from pipelines destined for Israeli settlements. Even though there is no proof of water-stealing, Israeli army bulldozers move in to destroy the reservoirs anyway. By effectively cutting off the Kayed's water supply, the Israeli's are making life virtually impossible for them.

No Water, No Future

Three months later, Earth Report returned to find the brothers' situation was even worse. They were warned to stop farming and a demolition notice was served on Ismael's house. The Civil Administration was able to do this because the brothers' farmland lies within Area C of the West Bank - an area which under the Oslo Peace Agreements falls under complete Israeli control. In Ismael's view, the Civil Administration aimed to make life so unbearable that they would leave of their own accord, rather than forcibly remove them. Either way the end result is the same.

Progress for the Israelis, it seems, comes at a high price for the Palestinians.

Unless peace accords spawn agreements on water these conflicts are certain to be repeated.

[Text from Earth Report archives]

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Jeff
• Halper
• Israel
• Palestine
• Water
• Occupation
• ICAHD
• Settlements
• Discrimination

[conquerorofbabylon]

For people who have experienced such an atrocity as they claim as in the Holocaust, they shame themselves as long as this goes on.

[rathcelt]

A revealing video. What can any decent person say? It is beyond belief. The IDF officer in the video knows he is committing a crime on every level. His rationale is pathetic and transparent. I notice no defenders have arrived. Better to ignore as they haven't a leg to stand on.

[steute2011]

After the several reports went public on the water situation, Israel immediately labeled them untrue, bias and or politically motivated. The Zionist greed and contempt for truth is boundless! They even attack their own with slurs (Self-hating Jew or Traitor) for telling the truth. Disgusting people, I hope we get a real president soon who will cut all aide to this spoiled child of a nation (Israel) and perhaps even forcefully end the occupation.

[ThaCypher861]

One of many committed by the zionist state since its creation...all part of the overall plan to ethnically cleanse palestine

[HateFenians]

In Canary Islands they collect water from the sea and treat it due to Spanish water being unsafe!

Americans, Germans, Polish, Russian and former Soviet Union Zionists have made this worse, pretty shit that your views only change when you go there if you get the right news and not the state Zionist News.

[jobedied]

I guess its true to the spoils of war go the resources we did the same to the American Indian. So to judge the Jews for destroying Palistians meager resources is super hypocritical. We want a nations oil we take it Iraq. We want a nations opium supply we take it Afghanistan. We will soon have Libya's oil also the American people will demand it when oil hits $5.00 a gallon. Wake up the meek shall inherit the crap of their owners.Not the earth.

[DutchMasterJohan]

@beanersss absolutely true nice spoken

[Jasminewynja]

What can possible justify such actions taken by a democrasy?

[beanersss]

@beanersss The only times in only times in the Koran where mohamed advocates some form of peace with the non believers is when he was too weak to destroy his opponents, these parts of the koran are abrogated by later mroe violent utternaces

[beanersss]

@beanersss The koran is absolutely clear on subjugating non muslims and fighting them until they are destroyed this is the true reason why muslims are in conflict with non muslims on every continent.

[beanersss]

@beanersss Lebanon was peaceful until muslim populations grew large enough to subjugate the chsristians.

[beanersss]

@Entaruadunexecutor Lets go back to the beginning and cut the crap. Mohamed attacked everyone in his path and islam grew by conquest and war! Muslims invaded parts of Europe and got as far as spain. The middle east was made up of Jewish and christian states before Islam. Countries which are peaceful will become divided and conflict will ensue the moment muslims are there in numbers.