The Palestine Monitor

July 27, 2017

Israel’s illegitimate diversion of the River Jordan was the main reason behind the rising the tensions that ended fifty years ago with Israel's launching the June 1967 aggression on Egypt, Syria and Jordan and occupying the remaining Palestinian lands; the West Bank and Gaza. [...] The important matter here is that, according to international treaties, the West Bank Palestinians' water rights in the River Jordan reaches up to 250 million cubic meters which Israel grabs it totally. As for what's most important, the West Bank's water sources are equivalent to one thousand million cubic meters annually coming from both River Jordan and the underground water which are fed with rainwater. According to specialised sources, this amount of water is enough to meet the Palestinian needs in the occupied lands for fifty years based on a consumption rate reaching 170 liters per person annually. In reality, Israel through the force of military occupation seizes 87% of the Palestinian water in the occupied lands and devotes a large portion of it to illegal settlements. The Palestinians are obliged to buy a huge amount of their water, which Israel has usurped. Most Palestinian consumers pay double the sum paid by the Israelis in average.