Agricultural Development in the West Bank (ص 64)
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- Agricultural Development in the West Bank (ص 64)
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Water needs through such means as desalination aude reclamation
Of sewage water, and raising efficiency of water use. Consequently,
there is 4 growing conviction in Israel that the only real
opportunity to solve Israel's "grave" water problems lies in
tapping new resources lying beyond its borders, namely in the West
Wank and South Lebanon.” Conforming with this policy, Israel is
beginning to exploit surplus reserves in the West Bank which, as
indicated earlier, amount to more than 150 mem per year, concentrated
Montly in the eastern drainage basin. A large part of this surplus
will be exploited in meeting the rapidly growing needs of West
Wank Israeli settlements.
3%. In pursuance to ita oppoaition to the establishment of a
Palestinian state, Israel appears keen on preempting the economic
viability of such a state should that be considered as a solution
to the Palestinian problem. Even in the event that a Palestinian
entity is eventually established, Israel seems intent on undermining
its productive base and maintaining it subservient to its own
@conomy, Conatricting water supplies available to West Kank
4Qgriculture would be an effective step in that direction.
With the onset of occupation, Israel had its main opportunity to
Achieve these objectives, It immediately assumed total control
Of all water resources and started to promulgate policies and
Measures which serve its interests. A cornerstone of Israel's
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1. fora comprehensive evaluation of Israel's water crisis and
its alternative solutions, the reader is referred to Uri
Davis, et al, "Israel's Water Policies", Journal of Palestinian
Studies, Vol IX, No 2, Winter 1980.
This is clear enough in the famous statement made by Ben
Gurion ... "We should remember that the continuity of the
Jewish state necessitates that the water of Litani and Jordan
rivers be included within our borders", Ma'ariv, April 18, 1972.
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water policies in that direction is the ban imposed on further
drilling of tube wells for agricultural uses (only one has been
drilled since 1967), and attempts to minimize the discharging
capacity of existing wells,
The Water Department has installed meters in all wells and imposed
4 ceiling on quantities to be discharged, Violations of overpumping
are taken to military courts. Conversely, Israeli settlers have
drilled many deep-bore wells with a considerably stronger
discharging capacity. While Arab wells tap only a shallow acquifer,
Israeli wells go three times deeper (around SOO meters) where they
reach much richer acquifers. This has inflicted serious damage
on neighbouring Arab wells and springs, causing many of them to go
completely dry.’
The number of Israeli wells and their annual discharge is not
Published. According to official data for 1977-78 there were 17
Wells in the Jordan Valley which discharged during that year more
than one third of the quantity produced by 314 Arab wells (see
Table 11-22). However, the actual number of Israeli-owned or
Controlled wells is certainly larger. There is evidence that
there are at least 27 wells owned directly by Israeli settlements
(i.e. the Mekorot Water Company). In addition, seven other wells
Are supposed to be utilized for domestic purposes by Arab
Communities but owned by the Water Department in the Military
Administration. The ultimate proprietorship and utilization of
Se eaeneenne
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Two examples are those of Bardala (North Jordan Valley) and
Auja (near Jericho). The former had its two wells and 11
springs dried out after a neighbouring settlement drilled
a deep-bore well in 1977. Auja springs and wells had similar
Problems in the summer of 1978.
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- Hisham Masoud Awartani
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