Water supply deal welcomed by Israelis and Palestinians

Israeli and Palestinian leaders have announced an agreement that they say will help alleviate the critical water shortage faced by residents of the West Bank and Gaza.

The entire Middle East faces a shortage of water but, in recent years, Israel has spearheaded new technology to desalinate water from the Mediterranean Sea, ending the country's dependence on rainwater.

Under the agreement, which was brokered by US envoy Jason Greenblatt, Israel will sell 32 million cubic metres of water to the Palestinians from its Mediterranean desalination plants – 10 million to Gaza and 22 million to the West Bank.

A 220km pipeline will also be built to transfer water from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea – the lowest point on Earth – to benefit Israelis, Jordanians and Palestinians, and replenish the Dead Sea, whose water level is falling each year.

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Mr Greenblatt, at a press conference with Israeli and Palestinian officials, said the water agreement, together with a deal signed Monday for Israel to increase the electricity supply to the West Bank, are examples of how the two sides can co-operate to improve Palestinian living conditions.

The US envoy, who arrived earlier this week for talks with the Israelis and the Palestinians, said US president Donald Trump has "made clear that working toward a lasting peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians is a top priority for him".

‘Mutually beneficial’

But he gave no indication if an announcement could be expected shortly on a renewal of direct peace talks. “This agreement is an example of the parties working together to make a mutual beneficial deal,” he said.

“I am proud of the role the US and international partners have played in helping the partners reach this deal, and I hope it is a harbinger of things to come,” Mr Greenblatt said.

Israeli regional co-operation minister Tzachi Hanegbi estimated it would take another four to five years to complete the $900 million (€790 million) project. "Unfortunately, in our neighbourhood we don't always have a reason to smile. This morning we do," Mr Hanegbi said. "After years of stalemate, we reached an important agreement."

The agreement shows that “water can serve as means for reconciliation, prosperity and co-operation rather than calls for tensions and dispute,” Mr Hanegbi added.

‘Suffering of Palestinians’

The head of the Palestinian Water Authority, Mazen Ghuneim, welcomed the deal. "This will alleviate the suffering of Palestinians that they surely face, especially in the hot summer months," he said. However, he stressed that the deal was a localised one, and had no relation to the issues to be addressed in the final status negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

Water is one of the final status issues to be dealt with, along with borders, settlements, Jerusalem and refugees. Jewish settlers also welcomed the water agreement. "We have long said that true peace must be built from the ground up, one step at a time," said Oded Revivi of of the Yesha settlers' council.