Summer 1998: a new water shortage on the West Bank

Last change: 17 March 1999

The Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI) published a report (see below) about the discussion on the recent water shortages in Hebron . The same week the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz also reported water shortages, and the Palestinian Society Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW) accused Israel of destroying water containers in Hebron.

These events were the reason to create this special page about the new water shortages. The IPCRI report is a basis for a comment on the worsening situation in which the peace process come to a halt.
 

• Comment on the outcome of the IPCRI Working Group Forum of Palestinian and Israeli Parliamentarians in Ramallah on 27 August 1998, by Stefan Deconinck.

The following texts illustrate the comment:

• Israeli MK's and Palestinian PLC Members Confront Water Problems. Report from the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI) (Thursday, August 27, 1998).
• Israel to ease West Bank water shortage. Water tanks to be placed in driest areas (Article by Amira Hass, Palestinian Affairs Correspondent, "Ha'aretz", August 24, 1998).
• Palestinian Society Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW), Israelis deliberately worsen water shortage, report of 27 August 1998.
• Mekorot: water supplies are running out fast, Ha'aretz, 9 September 1998.
• Who is to blame for the severe water shortages? by Muna Hamzeh-Muhaisen, Palestine Report, Jerusalem Media  and Communications Centre (JMCC), second issue of August 1998.
• The water condition in Palestinian areas is very critical, JMCC, 20 August 1998.
• Response to Palestinian charges on water, communicated by the Ministry of National Infrastructure spokesman, Jerusalem, 19 August 1998.

• Permanent sovereignty over national resources in the occupied Palestinian and other Arab territories, UN General Assembly Resolution, 17 December 1982 (A/RES/37/135).
• UNISPAL - UN Information System on the Question of Palestine.

Full-text documents of the United Nations system relevant to the question of Palestine and the Arab-Israeli conflict in the Middle East since 1946.
Selection of documents about water.
• Natural reserve areas on the West Bank.