Water Allocation, Climate Change, and Sustainable Peace The Israeli Proposal

Abstract

Israeli-Palestinian joint water management strategies fail to account for increased water demand caused by increasing populations and potential decreases in water availability due to climate change. This study examines the impacts of population growth and climate change on the water supplies of Israelis and Palestinians under "business-as-usual" conditions as well as under the Israeli-proposed water resources division discussed in meetings parallel to those at Camp David in 2000. The analysis establishes renewable water resources by source in Israel/Palestine and presents the current sectoral trends in water consumption. From this baseline, eight scenarios are developed that describe conditions in 2000 and 2025. Several indicators are used to measure the positive and negative effects of these conditions. The indicators show that population growth and climate change will negate many of the benefits of the water resources division proposed in 2000. Furthermore, the indicators reveal extreme water resources stress among Palestinians as well as potential environmental degradation as climate change depletes natural water supplies.

Transboundary water interaction II: the influence of ‘soft’ power

“…Subsequent Israeli governments with very different positions on the responsibilities of their state towards the residents of the occupied land have maintained the asymmetrical water allocation over their Palestinian co-riparians, despite two further rounds of direct negotiations, in 2000 and 2008 (see e.g. Lautze et al 2005). Palestinian water professionals and negotiators may have abandoned hope (see e.g.…”

De-nationalization and de-securitization of transboundary water resources: the Israeli–Palestinian case

“…The available water is divided among the riparian nations by a quantitative formula involving absolute or percentage shares. This was the approach used for the Israel -Jordan Peace Treaty and for the Oslo agreements; it is currently reflected in proposals put forward by both the Israeli and the Palestinian negotiating teams (Lautze & Kirshen, 2009;Lautze, Reeves, Vega, & Kirshen, 2005). Unfortunately, though this once-and-forever approach can resolve some short-term issues, it is seriously deficient in the longer term.…”

Integrated Water Resources Management and Security in the Middle East

“…None of the three sources of stress is independent of the other two, and to a considerable extent they need to be resolved together. As an article on the Israeli-Palestinian dispute over water noted that "…political decisions will become obsolete if environmental issues are not addressed promptly and effectively" (Lautze et al, 2005). This chapter will begin with a review of the hydrological situation in MENA, and then address the three sources of stress in the order given above.…”