Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 July 2016
40. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is aware that over the past few weeks Palestinians have faced severe water shortages because a company (details supplied) has denied or restricted their access to water; that Israel stands accused of using water as a weapon in the West Bank; and if he will raise the issue with his Israeli counterpart. [19466/16]
View answerWater supply is a critical issue across the Middle East, but there are specific additional stresses on Palestinian people resulting from the Israeli control of their land and resources. Ground water drawn from the shared aquifer is allocated disproportionately in favour of Israel itself and Israeli settlers in Palestinian areas, and Palestinian water infrastructure is routinely demolished to preserve this control. As a result, many Palestinian communities have to be supplied with water by tanker.
Mekorot, the Israeli public water utility, has reportedly reduced supplies to a number of Palestinian communities in recent weeks, resulting in the shortages described by the Deputy. Mekorot maintains the shortage is due to increased demand in the summer, and affects both Israeli and Palestinian consumers. Some Palestinian reports state the opposite, that their supplies are being cut to preserve supplies to Israelis. There are other claims as well, including that the shortage is intended to pressure Palestinians into agreeing to cooperate with water infrastructure plans which include illegal Israeli settlements. It is difficult to be certain here at this remove what is the truth of the situation.
Water is a final status issue, to be determined in a final overall agreement between the two parties. What is clear is that, in the long years while that agreement has remained elusive, Israel has imported several hundred thousand settlers into Palestinian areas, and discriminates in their favour in the distribution of water, to the detriment of Palestinians. This underlines the continuing injustice inherent in the occupation of one people by another, and why it is imperative that the occupation be brought to an end.
Ireland has raised these issues as part of our focus on the range of issues surrounding settlements, both bilaterally with Israel and through discussions at EU level.
Ireland and our EU partners have also been directly active in supporting works to improve water supplies for Palestinians, as I set out in more detail in my reply to a recent Question (Written Question 194 on 22 June).
