Two additional articles from “This Week in Palestine” special issue on water, supplementing the previous 10 postings from this source. Full issue available for download from website of “This Week in Palestine”. note: as in all cases of this resource, sharing does not mean endorsement.

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By: Lamya Hussain Tensions over water have continuously been a feature of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories since 1967. They are not unique to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; rather, the struggle to access clean water is a regional and global phenomenon whereby “water wars” have been the crux of protracted conflict and violence for […]

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By: Maria C. Khoury It is almost a miracle when you manage to make beer without a guarantee that you will have running water most days of the week. Since Amnesty International’s 2009 report on water shortage in Palestine, you may be aware of this issue and its effect on local farming. But the issue […]

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By: Hind Khoury Palestine lies in a desert area of the world and historically has been a parched land where water has been and continues to be the genuine source and essence of life. Hence it is no coincidence that water has significant symbolism for the monotheistic faiths, for water is a source of life […]

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pdf download at http://thisweekinpalestine.com/the-establishment-of-the-water-sector-regulatory-council/ has important tables not in this version. The Establishment of the Water Sector Regulatory Council By: Mohammad Said Al Hmaidi The water sector in Palestine faces many challenges, among them insufficient water availability, consumer orientation, lack of transparency and accountability, underinvestment in maintenance and infrastructure, and lack of cooperation between key […]

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Shaddad-Attili In the midst of the disappointing lack of vision in Palestine today, Dr. Shaddad Attili represents a ray of hope. A geologist by training, Dr. Attili is an internationally regarded activist and expert on the issue of water rights. He holds a master’s degree in industrial geology from Al Yarmouk University (Jordan) and a […]

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By: June Kunugi and Gregor von Medeazza ♦ European Union, UNICEF, PWA, and CMWU are close to finalizing construction of a € 10 million seawater desalination plant. In Gaza, there is a perfect storm, and it is underground. The shallow coastal aquifer, historically the main source of water for the population, is being over-extracted for […]

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By: Abeer Al Butmah Springs in Palestine have remained the single largest water source for domestic consumption for Palestinians in areas not connected to pipelines and are a significant source for irrigation and for watering livestock. The springs’ total discharge from the three West Bank aquifers is around 39 MCM, excluding the discharge of 100 […]

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By: Ayman Rabi Natural springs in Palestine have been historically the main source that provides life to people, land, and habitat. Many villages and towns were built and flourished around springs, and some of these springs are even today the main source of life for major cities such as Jericho. There used to be two […]

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By: Camilla Corradin and Abeer Abu Shawish As the Israeli blockade enters its tenth year, Gaza’s taps run drier and drier. The illegal Israeli blockade that inflicts collective punishment on 1.8 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip also means that houses lack the most essential items needed to provide clean water: pumps to abstract water; […]

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By: Jamil Dababat I have visited the Dead Sea many times, and each time I have stood at the same place and observed that the water is receding. The Dead Sea is shrinking. This body of water has been “dead” for thousands of years. It acquired its name from its high salt concentration; with a […]

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By: Clemens Messerschmid The water malaise in Gaza long ago became chronic and legendary, but if we want to understand the deeper causes of this disaster that is unfolding before our eyes, we must go back deeper into the past and look at factors seemingly unrelated to water. It is hard to believe, but in […]

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The full issue on Water of This Week in Palestineis available for download in pdf at http://thisweekinpalestine.com/ Posts for individual stories follow. (Environment and Climate in the Middle East, editor) Editor Message – Special Issue on Water – This Week in Palestine By: Tina Basem In this issue you will be enlightened about the water […]

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By Hana Namrouqa – Jul 11,2016 AMMAN — The Ministry of Water and Irrigation started supplying treated wastewater for industrial uses and irrigation in south Amman on Sunday. A total of 7,700 cubic metres of treated wastewater will be channelled daily from South Amman Wastewater Treatment Plant under multiple agreements signed on Sunday between the […]

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Environmentalists say dam construction threatens to ruin ecosystem of valley that is major tourist destination. By Natasha Ghoneim There was a moment as our car crested the mountain, when everyone almost in unison said either “Wow” or “That’s gorgeous”. The clouds were draped like a baby’s blanket over the seemingly endless ridges of cedar trees. […]

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By Muath Freij – Jul 10,2016 There are currently 4,000 sanitation workers deployed in the capital (Photo by Osama Aqarbeh) AMMAN — The volume of garbage collected in Amman reached record levels during the recent religious holidays as the population of the capital rose, a municipal official said on Sunday. Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) teams […]

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Environment Minister Mohammed al-Mashnouq announced that the World Bank has approved a $55 million loan to fight pollution in the Qaraoun Lake in Western Bekaa Valley and the Litani River in south Lebanon, the state-run National News Agency reported on Friday. Mashnouq added that the loan will also cover the completion of the sewage networks […]

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by Hana Namrouqa – Jul 13,2016 AMMAN — The Ministry of Environment will launch a national campaign in August to combat littering and raise environmental awareness, officials said on Wednesday. The ministry will cooperate with municipalities, civil societies, schools and broadcasters to clean up public areas and raise environmental awareness, Environment Minister Yaseen Khayyat said […]

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Morocco has suspended imports of European waste to be incinerated for energy after a spate of protests by environmental activists and outrage on social media, officials said on Thursday. The demonstrations have occurred at a sensitive time with the Moroccan city of Marrakesh preparing to host the next round of U.N. climate talks in November […]

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05 July 2016, Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil held talks in Moscow prior to the Ain al-Tineh agreement between Speaker Nabih Berri and Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil regarding the issue of offshore oil and gas exploration, a media report said on Tuesday. “The Berri-Bassil agreement was preceded by an understanding between Finance Minister […]

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