Managing the Jordan River Basin: a Palestinian Perspective / Nancy Rumman
Managing the Jordan River Basin – an Israeli Perspective / Richard Laster and Dan Livney
The chapter provides an overview of the water resources in the Jordan Valley area, including groundwater resources in the Jordan Valley, floodwater potential, rehabilitation of contaminated and nonfunctioning wells and springs. It also presents data regarding availability, future development and proposed management policies from the Palestinian perspective. From the Palestinian perspective, the Jordan River Basin is the most important surface water resource in the region and the Palestinian Authority sees great importance to its role as a riparian.
The chapter argues that since 1967, Palestinians of the West Bank have not had access to the Jordan River waters. During this period, groundwater resources of the Mountain Aquifer (Western, Northeastern and Eastern) have been utilized extensively by Israeli water managers for their development initiatives and 25 settlements along the western side of the Jordan Valley. This has had negative impacts on the economic development of Palestinian communities in the West Bank who suffer extremely from shortages of safe and reliable water supply for domestic, agricultural, and municipal purposes.
Greater efforts should be made and attention given to ensuring the reliable development and sustainable management of all water resources in this area. With regards to the proposed Red-Dead conduit, the chapter supports the proposed project of connecting the Red and Dead Seas, contingent upon a clear recognition of Palestine as a full and historic partner and riparian, without compromising Palestinian water rights in the mountain aquifer basins and the Jordan River before its diversion as well as Palestinian claims to 30% ownership of lands along the Dead Sea banks.
The chapter describes the steady drop in the flow of fresh waters in the Jordan River and its impact on water quality of the resource as well as its dominant contribution to the dropping level of the Dead Sea. Calling for a cooperative management framework, the chapter reviews historic efforts in the region to reach accommodation and a cooperative management framework along the Jordan River. Beginning with the Johnston Plan in the 1950's, and the relevant provisions in the peace agreement between Israel and Jordan. The position of Palestinian negotiators is criticized as it tends to look at water from the standpoint of water use rather than those of natural assets. For example a present proposal on the table that calls for the establishment of three water utilities in the West Bank (north, central and south) and one in Gaza is divided along the present political boundaries of the Governorates. Such divisions undermine agreement about the use of the natural flow of water and a unified strategy which considers the essential environmental needs. For instance, many of the major sources of pollution, it is argued could easily be repaired by sewage purification works and the water could then be reused in agriculture and then discharged into the Jordan.
The chapter calls for a final peace agreement to define clear timetables for such measures. The chapter anticipates the establishment of joint commissions, to consider water management from an integrated basin perspective and to implement master plans and action plans for the major water bodies.