Israel’s Usurpation of Arab Water

At a conference of the Arab League (7/1/2010), water and irrigation ministers from Arab states declared that water scarcity in the region is the most dangerous challenge facing the Arab world. They pointed out that water is an issue of national security. According to the water strategy, which was discussed, one issue focused on the water stolen by Israel from its Arab neighbors. Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and the West Bank’s water were targets of water theft by Israel during the past fifty years (almasry-alyoum, 7/2/2010).

Since its creation, the Israeli government has been implementing a policy of expansion as a part of its Zionist ideology and in particular the control of water resources of its Arab neighbors.

In an article in the Middle East (June 2010), Ed Blanche noted that, “Half the water Israel consumed is taken from its neighbors, the Palestinians, the Golan Heights of Syria, which has been under Israeli occupation since 1967. Also, Israel converted Litani River in Southern Lebanon, which is 3 km. from Israeli borders by pipelines into Israel’s hydraulic network … furthermore, the Israeli invasions of Lebanon in 1978 and 1982 were motivated by the desire to control water resources.”

In previous posts, I have pointed out that Israel diverted the Jordan River’s water to Israel during the 1950s and 1960s. At the present, the Jordan River is drying out and the water flows that used to irrigate more than 30,000 acres of agricultural land has been stopped. In addition, the lack of water flow of the river into the Dead Sea has also stopped and this has lead to a rapid decline of sea water level that has already reached a dangerous point.

During the 1950s and 1960s, the U.S. government, under President Eisenhower, warned Israel to stop the diversion of the Jordan River water into Israel, but the government ignored the U.S. warning. American foreign aid to Israel was frozen for two years, but then was resumed and the Israeli water diversion continued. The U.S. government volunteered to help Jordan by constructing the East Ghor Canal, which is parallel to the Jordan River, to irrigate 30,000 acres of Jordanian agricultural land. These lands used to contribute 40% of the country’s agricultural produce. The canal was built at a cost of $15 million by the U.S. aid program. The canal stretches around 68 km. and was supposed to siphon water from the Yarmouk River, which starts in Syria and flows into the Jordan River. Unfortunately, the canal was destroyed by Israeli planes that were given to them by the U.S. and were not supposed to be used for anything other than self-defense.

The Jordanian government committed a big mistake by signing the peace agreement with Israel. It should have insisted that Israel first divert the water back to the Jordan River, which was classified as an international water way. Israel is an aggressive state that has no respect for international law, which is reflected through its military actions since its creation. Israel should not be trusted.

Further evidence of Israeli aggression is reflected also in the occupied Palestinian lands. It annexed 42% of the West Bank, especially where the underground aquifer water resources are located. The Israeli government implemented a harsh policy of water availability to the Palestinians. Also, it prevented them from digging their own water wells for their needed drinking water.

Amnesty International accused the Israeli government of denying Palestinians of their water needs. Israel controlled water resources in the occupied land. According to the report, Israel used 80% of the West Bank aquifer, which is the only underground water source and allocated only 20% of the water to the Palestinians. This translates into 300 liters of water per Israeli per day and only 70 liters of water per Palestinian per day (www.aljazeera.net, 10/31/2009).

Twenty Israeli human rights and legal organizations stated that, “The Israeli occupation of the West Bank in particular and Hebron and other areas deprived the Palestinian of their water needs as a means of ethnic cleansing.” These Israeli organizations have confirmed that the Israeli government has issued court orders of home destruction and denying the residents fresh water to drink under the excuse that the areas have been designated as military zones for security purposes. The Israeli Amnesty organizations revealed that Jewish settlements within a few kilometers from Palestinian villages are connected with water piped network. In addition, these Jewish settlers consume water at the rate of 236 liters of water per person per day, compared to less than 15 liters of water per Palestinian per day. Israeli amnesty organizations condemned the Israeli policy and noted that it is in violation of human moral ethics as well as international law (www.aljazeera.net, 10/31/2009).

The Israeli government has lost its ethical and moral values and has also violated international law as well as the UN Cha