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EmailThe Myth of the Thirsty Palestinian – Akiva Bigman (The Tower)
(dailyalert.org, Apr. 11, 2014)
The President of the European Parliament caused a minor scandal when he accused Israel of denying water supplies to the Palestinian population.
However, when one examines the relevant data, it becomes clear that, under Israeli rule, the Palestinian water supply has become larger, more technologically sophisticated, of higher quality, and much easier to access, almost entirely due to Israeli efforts.
At the end of Jordanian rule in 1967, the West Bank Palestinians received 65 million cubic meters of water per year. Five years after the Israeli takeover, the water supply grew by 50%.
By the time the Oslo Accords were signed in 1995, the Palestinian water supply reached 120 million cubic meters per year. By 2010, water consumption had reached 190 million cubic meters per year.
Some 97% of the Palestinian population is now connected to the territory’s water system, for the most part, directly to their own homes.
According to the Accords, Israel is required to supply 31 million cubic meters per year to the Palestinians. In 2012, Israel provided 53 million cubic meters to the Palestinian water supply.
