While the Palestinians on Friday blamed Israel for the Palestinian water shortage, the Israel Water Authority responded that Israel more than complies with its obligations under the [Oslo] agreement, and it is the PA that does not. “The State of Israel meets all its obligations under the agreement and among other things even supplies the Palestinians with 22 million cubic meters beyond its obligations and at a special price,” the authority said.
Palestinians have drilled at least 300 wells without the required approval of the Joint Water Committee. In addition, the PA largely does not treat its waste-water, and Palestinian sewage is penetrating and polluting the groundwater. Furthermore, water rates charged by the PA are much lower than Israeli rates. Israeli residents of the West Bank cities of Ariel and Ma’ale Adumim, for example, pay nearly double the prices that Palestinians do.
{Matzav.com Israel News Bureau}
