World Bank: Israel drawing more than its share from Green Line aquifers

[Donald Ian Rankin]

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1239710740357&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Israel extracts 50 percent more water from the three aquifers it shares with the Palestinian Authority than it is authorized to do, the World Bank charged in a report issued Monday.

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In addition, it found that the average per capita amount of fresh water available to Israelis was four times as high as that available to Palestinians, while in the agricultural sector it was five times as high.

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The study also found that the impact of the water shortage on the Palestinian agricultural sector was severe, estimating that it had caused a loss of up to 10% of the PA's Gross Domestic Product, and 110,000 jobs.

The report pointed out that Israel controls the Joint Water Committee (JWC) established under Oslo II to deal with water issues, including projects to develop new water supplies. It added that "records suggest" that the committee approved all but one of the Israeli-proposed projects for development in the West Bank between 2001 and 2008, but only 50% of the projects proposed by the PA.

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I would post more, but I believe I'm only allowed four paragraphs, and the rest is at the link.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Hydra]

2. All wars are based on economics

I suppose genocide is no different.

Why do we kill each other over "stuff"?

[azurnoir]

3. From the World Bank site

Noting the complete dependence of WBG on scarce water resources shared and largely controlled by Israel, the report finds that the joint governance rules and water allocations established under the 1995 Oslo interim agreement, still in effect today, fall short of the needs of the Palestinian people. Because of the imbalance in power, capacity and information between parties, interim governance rules and practices have resulted in systematic and severe constraints on Palestinian development of water resources, water uses, and wastewater management. Furthermore, since 2000, the Israeli-imposed movement and access restrictions, consisting of physical impediments, but also of permitting and decision-making practices, have further impaired Palestinian access to water resources, infrastructure development and utility operations.

When combined with governance and capacity weaknesses in Palestinian institutions, these rules and restrictions have resulted in an underdeveloped Palestinian water sector. Even though the PA and many donors have invested in establishing a sustainable and equitable water sector, access to water resources, water infrastructure and institutions remain inadequate. The sector continues to operate in a very inefficient emergency mode, with far reaching economic, social and environmental consequences. Water-related humanitarian crises are in fact chronic in Gaza and in parts of the West Bank.

Indeed, availability of water resources is highly disparate, with fresh water per capita in Israel approximately four times that of WBG. Whereas Israel has established efficient water infrastructure and management, the PA is struggling to attain the basic level of infrastructure and service of a low-income country. Water investment in WBG has dropped to very low levels, is fragmented and inefficient, and perpetuates low utility performance. In Gaza, marginal water and sanitation investment is contributing to an unchecked water quality crisis with severe public health and environmental impacts.


http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/MENAEXT/WESTBANKGAZAEXTN/0,,contentMDK:22145826~pagePK:1497618~piPK:217854~theSitePK:294365,00.html

When negotiations for a two state solution are in progress the importance of this can not be under estimatedf

[bemildred]

4. "ADL says the World Bank is anti-semitic" nt

[azurnoir]

5. well then I guess the Jews control

the worlds banks myth is also busted, quite a day we're having here