Slowly but surely the Israeli government and ultimately the Israelis are achieving their targets in terms of land and water resources, as the land and resources’ grab is maximized and the “Arabs” access to these is therefore controlled and minimized. In addition to the historical control by the Israelis over all the water resources in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, currently, the route of the separation wall is strictly contorted inside the West Bank presumably to surround and protect the illegal settlements which according to Sharon’s quote have been strategically placed to ensure the “hydraulic supremacy” of Israel. Although, exacerbating by the day, the water crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) is less and less visible in the daily Palestinian discourse. The more contentious issues like the refugees, Jerusalem borders and security are occupying the minds of at least the Palestinian policy and decision makers. Interestingly enough, and contrary to what prevails in the OPT, many Israeli water advocates are grasping the opportunity of intentional neglect to the water problem in the OPT to serve their national purpose for confirming the status quo with regard to water. They are more consistent than ever in reiterating that there is a water crisis in Israel and that their proposals concerning desalinated water and the import of water from Turkey to solve the Palestinian water problem are feasible. Reiterating these positions would ultimately lead –if not already have led- to a “brain wash” to the Israeli and Palestinian negotiators and public as well as to the international and donor community. Firstly, the Israeli government and public are assured by the day that their existing water uses and the status quo of Israeli control over the water resources are threatened by any new Palestinian development or claims to their legal entitlement from the fresh water resources. Therefore, and very soon, we will witness a unified Israeli position not to give up a drop of water from the fresh water to the Palestinians and they will be only willing to sell them desalinated water or will advocate other economic solutions that would be profitable for Israel. Secondly, the Israeli discourse frightens and disturbs the Palestinian beliefs in gaining progress concerning their water legal entitlements. This has already been reflected in the approach followed by the Palestinian negotiators in the past, whereby water was not part of the discussion on land and borders. In their views, and quoting here the legal advisor to the Palestinian negotiations in Taba and Camp David, “once the borders are settled, the water issue would be negotiated State to State according to the laws and principles of international law”. This, in my views, was the biggest mistake during the negotiations as it unintentionally confirms the status quo allows Israel to continue confiscating more land and resources and tightening its absolute control over the resources. Additionally, since the Oslo agreements, the Palestinian people had not come a single step closer to the establishment of the State of Palestine, while the settlements were being enlarged and the occupation deepened incessantly. Therefore, when and if a Palestinian State is established, it would be too late for the Palestinian to negotiate fresh resources as these would have been already over-utilized by the Israelis. The Israelis would become more persistent to applying the theory of prior appropriation that confirms the supremacy of exiting uses over any future used. At that stage, the Palestinians’ choices and options would be lessened to the minimum and they would forcefully buy into the Israeli solutions as the final and mere resort or otherwise people and economies will not survive. Lastly but not less importantly, the international and donor community are influenced by the Israeli discourse especially because there is no counter arguments by a Palestinian discourse. As a proof for this influence, we witness many initiatives that promote alternative economic solutions to the Palestinians and they tend to avoid intervening as third parties to address the resources and uses problem. Given the above, there is an obvious danger surrounding the “Palestinian Water Cause”, which threatens the present and future Palestinian Water Security. The consequences are detrimental and alarming in terms of the availability of adequate water resources for the human basic needs, the social and economic needs at an affordable price to all people. In response to this danger and as an attempt to save what could be saved from the “Palestinian Water Cause” the Palestinians are urged to revive the issue of water in a number of ways.
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