The Oslo process in 1995 established a joint Israeli-Palestinian Water Committee which sounded good on paper if the small print was ignored. In practice it kept control of West Bank water resources in Israel’s hands by giving it a veto over how water was to be used and distributed. Having been repeatedly blocked in its requests for permits to build its water infrastructure as Israeli settlements expanded, the Palestinian Water Authority suspended its participation in the Committee in 2010.
But now its meetings are being resumed. Why now? Apparently the US and other countries have pushed for this resumption, which could mean that in the months to come there will be at least a token increase in the amount of water Palestinians have access to. A likely US motive? To make the Occupation more sustainable. Read more:
New chapter begins in Israel-Palestine water dispute
Image by Hugo Goodridge/Al-Monitor