Journal, May 5, 2006 (edited May 10)—Ramallah

Photos:

Nablus-1

Nablus-2

Nablus-3

Other photos and writing

Water in the Nablus Region

By Skip Schiel

Yesterday [May 4] was a perfect day to tour water sites in the Nablus region, the weather balmy, the sky clear (not so perfect for photography), wild flowers in bloom, and wheat springing green ("in dark earth many days has lain," to quote a favorite song).

And here is how it went: accompanied by Melodie Breton, a young French woman in country for a few months to supplement her master's dissertation research about water in Palestine and Israel, and guided by Ka'nan Swade of the Palestine Hydrology Group, we visited wells, cisterns, pools (a pool is an uncovered collecting point, while a cistern is covered), water harvesting from greenhouses, pumps, swimming pools, waterfalls, and sewage. Our range was mostly lands in the near north of Nablus--Burqa, Sabastiya, Al Gor, Ignaseny, Bathan, and Tubas. As usual, I'm perplexed about geography, will consult a map soon to determine more exactly the locations, and hope Ka'nan will review my writing and correct claims.

A FEW GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

Accessing some of these sites is one of the main stories. To reach Nablus, Melodie had to comefrom Jerusalem thru the Kalandia checkpoint to meet me in Ramallah (this has since somewhat eased), then we went thru the Atara checkpoint north of Ramallah, Zatara checkpoint further north, and were dropped off from our taxi at the Huwwara   checkpoint just south of Nablus. Phoning Ka'nan, handing the mobile to an eager and aggressive taxi driver for directions, we met Ka'nan outside the city. He cannot enter the city, lives with his wife and 3 children just outside.

Then in his car, we had to pass a checkpoint at Al Gor. Tho he'd come thru earlier in the day, the 2 soldiers initially would not let us pass. Our foreign passports might have prompted them to think: "Ah, visitors who might tell others about conditions in the territories." We explained that we were working with Ka'nan. He argued, showed them documentation about his job with PHG, reiterated how they'd allowed him to pass earlier. One soldier took the other aside for a conversation. Finally, they let us thru. Had they not, our trip to Nablus would have been wasted.

Ka'nan constantly stopped passing drivers to inquire about access conditions, which roads are closed, which open? checkpoints appear and disappear seemingly randomly. No way to predict and no way to attain definitive information--no helicopters circling in the sky providing up to the minute travel directions, no American Automobile Association constantly updating its website about closures, blockages, barriers.

We cruised by the site of a dismantled or withdrawn settlement. These sites look like scars on the earth, as if giant machines have scraped the earth, rendering it naked. Do such removals bode well for eventual withdrawal? I doubt it.

At the first village stop, as we examined the wastewater treatment facility, we met the son of the village council leader. He limped. We learned he had Muscular Sclerosis, he did not have money for treatment or medicine. He's now somewhat better, but cannot work. His wife, silent and dutiful, was mopping the floors as we sipped the coffee she made for us. Could his MS be related to the water quality?

WHAT I NOTICED

Now, once on the tour, what did I notice? First and overall, the severe injustice of water distribution in Israel-Palestine. The West Bank sits atop some 80% of the region's water, while Israel allows the Palestinians to use some 15%. Another way to put this, quoting from PHG's excellent report, Water for Life , "Total renewable water resources in the Lower Jordan (LJRB) are estimated at nearly 2.8 bcm (billion cubic meters)/year, in the form of either shared or national surface and groundwater resources. This limited quantity is not being allocated equitably among the three countries of the LJRB. Despite the fact that nearly 48.1% (750 mcm (million cubic meters)/year) of the groundwater potential of 1.44 bcm/year, occurs in the West Bank and Gaza, Palestinians are allocated only 0.25 bcm in the time that Israel uses 1.5 bcm and Jordan uses nearly 0.9 bcm.

And yet another way to say this, from Ka'nan himself: 20 mcm of the West aquifer go to Palestinians, 340 to Israel. 42 mcm of the North West aquifer go to Palestinians, 103 to Israel. 54 mcm of the East aquifer to Palestinians, 40 to Israel.

Second, the antiquated nature of much of the infrastructure, old pumps, leaky pipes, no or inferior wastewater treatment. Third, the many projects that PHG has built, many designed by Ka'nan, such as a new spring tap near Tubas. Fourth, the range of financial support subsidizing these projects, United States, European Commission, Arab alliances. Funding cuts, of course, after international sources withdrew support as a result of the Hamas election victory, threatens continuing development of water resources and infrastructure. Fifth, the precariousness of the quantity and quality of the water supply. As I've observed elsewhere in the territories, during the dry summer season water is rationed. In Nablus for example you would have running water only one day per week. Filling a roof top reservoir would provide you with water for the week, but this is often marginal as well. Chlorination is the usual method of purification. And the ancient pipes are often the main source of the pollution.

And finally, sixth, the occasionally stunning beauty of water in the region, in particular the swimming pools and waterfalls in Tubas. Arriving here is like seeing a water mirage actually materialize into real water. School kids bussed in from Kalkilia and Tulkarem were frolicking in the pools. Yesterday, being male day, only boys were in the water, tomorrow will be the girls' turn. Some pools allow family swimming so the genders can mix. Waer slides, pool guards, refreshment stands, poolside snacks and games and the soft lull of cascading water create the illusion of normality.

MELODIE'S OBSERVATION

Melodie, from France added this observation:

"What interested me in our journey is...that all water works were linked with PHG, international funds, and... village councils. But the Palestinian Water Authority's [role is less visible]. Maybe its role is more important in towns. Still, I wonder if this not a significant sign of the difficulties for Palestinians to manage water (but also other issues) on a national level. Difficulties due in part to the occupation, which makes communication and transport so difficult. But that's a personal point of view. And one of the research questions I would like focus on."

I've appended her research questions at the end of this writing.

Ka'nan was proud of his spring installation, the one we had to walk across fields to see. He showed us the old and the new, he drank from a hose claiming this was perfectly pure water. I refrained from accepting the invitation to taste it.

The land was green and appeared amazingly fecund. Tomatoes in the greenhouses were abundant and full. Farmers put plastic over the seedlings to hold the water and impede the weeds. Wheat was sprouting. The earth appeared rich. Much of the region relies on drip irrigation, a topic I've not yet observed. Perhaps in Israel.

That's the report for now, more might emerge when I examine the photos and do some web research.

LINKS

Palestine Hydrology Group

Water for Life 2005, report from PHG

Water for Life 2005 report—maps

Palestine Water Authority, an analysis by the Israeli-Palestinian Center for Research and Information

A New Legal Framework for Managing the World's Shared Groundwaters, A Case-study from the Middle East , 2005 by Fadia Daibes-Murad

Nablus city water

"Waterless World"

Melodie Breton's research questions:

Presentation

Could you please [describe] your organisation, its goal and main projects?

What are your tasks in this organisation?

Israeli Water policy

How would you describe Israeli water policy?

What is the impact of Israeli water policy on Palestinian water?

What are the tasks of the Mekorot [Israel's natonal waer carrier] in the Occupied Territories?

I have heard that some Israelis suggest that they could build a desalination plant on the Mediterranean coast that Palestinians could use. What do you think about this idea?

Palestinian Water policy

What's left to Palestinian's [to decide] in [the] water field?

What are the objectives, principles and methods of the Palestinian water policy?

How was this water policy decided? (According to a model?)

How do Palestinians traditionally manage water?

Why did Palestinians change the traditional water management to a new way of managing water?

Did Palestinians get help to set up this water policy? From who?

The conflict

Which solutions would you suggest for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on water?

Is cooperation useful even in [the] absence of a political agreement?