Palestine Today

[P F Tinmore]

Farming Without Water. Palestinian Agriculture in the Jordan Valley

Palestinian lies like water.

The PA considers water and waste like weapons against Israel.


But most of all, Gvirtzman’s BESA Center report accuses the PA of doing almost nothing to preventing massive leaking in its domestic pipelines; almost nothing to implement modern water conservation techniques; and nothing to recycle sewage water for irrigation.

In fact, many Palestinian farmers routinely overwater their crops through old-fashioned, wasteful flooding methods. Generally, they don’t pay their own water bills, so they don’t care to conserve. (The PA uses international donor money to pay for this waste.) Moreover, at least one-third of the water being pumped out of the ground by the Palestinians is wasted through leakage and mismanagement – by the Palestinian Water Authority’s own estimates.

The PA euphemistically calls this “unaccounted for water.”

Worse still, no recycling of water takes place in the Palestinian Authority and no treated water is used for agriculture. By contrast, in Israel about half of all agriculture is sustained by treated waste water. In fact, Israel’s use of treated waste water, its desalination activities, and its measures to reduce water losses in the water system add 800 m.c.m. per year to its water supply, amounting to one-third of Israel’s total water usage.

At the same time, 95 percent of the 56 m.c.m. per year of sewage produced by the Palestinians is not treated at all. Palestinian sewage flows untreated into the streams and valleys of the West Bank, and infiltrates into the Mountain Aquifer, polluting it for Jews and Arabs alike. Some 17 m.c.m. per year of raw Palestinian sewage flows into (pre-67) Israel too.

The Palestinians are not allowed to do any of that in area C.

Really?! Palestinians are not allowed to use drip irrigation? Palestinians are prohibited from recycling water? Palestinians are aren't permitted to repair water lines? Link?

All of that requires permits.

Palestinians can whistle Dixie for permits.

 

[P F Tinmore]

Farming Without Water. Palestinian Agriculture in the Jordan Valley

Palestinian lies like water.

The PA considers water and waste like weapons against Israel.


But most of all, Gvirtzman’s BESA Center report accuses the PA of doing almost nothing to preventing massive leaking in its domestic pipelines; almost nothing to implement modern water conservation techniques; and nothing to recycle sewage water for irrigation.

In fact, many Palestinian farmers routinely overwater their crops through old-fashioned, wasteful flooding methods. Generally, they don’t pay their own water bills, so they don’t care to conserve. (The PA uses international donor money to pay for this waste.) Moreover, at least one-third of the water being pumped out of the ground by the Palestinians is wasted through leakage and mismanagement – by the Palestinian Water Authority’s own estimates.

The PA euphemistically calls this “unaccounted for water.”

Worse still, no recycling of water takes place in the Palestinian Authority and no treated water is used for agriculture. By contrast, in Israel about half of all agriculture is sustained by treated waste water. In fact, Israel’s use of treated waste water, its desalination activities, and its measures to reduce water losses in the water system add 800 m.c.m. per year to its water supply, amounting to one-third of Israel’s total water usage.

At the same time, 95 percent of the 56 m.c.m. per year of sewage produced by the Palestinians is not treated at all. Palestinian sewage flows untreated into the streams and valleys of the West Bank, and infiltrates into the Mountain Aquifer, polluting it for Jews and Arabs alike. Some 17 m.c.m. per year of raw Palestinian sewage flows into (pre-67) Israel too.

The Palestinians are not allowed to do any of that in area C.

Really?! Palestinians are not allowed to use drip irrigation? Palestinians are prohibited from recycling water? Palestinians are aren't permitted to repair water lines? Link?

Israeli Police destroy villagers vegetable crop and cut off water supply

Includes stealing their irrigation equipment.

 

[Shusha]

Farming Without Water. Palestinian Agriculture in the Jordan Valley

Palestinian lies like water.

The PA considers water and waste like weapons against Israel.


But most of all, Gvirtzman’s BESA Center report accuses the PA of doing almost nothing to preventing massive leaking in its domestic pipelines; almost nothing to implement modern water conservation techniques; and nothing to recycle sewage water for irrigation.

In fact, many Palestinian farmers routinely overwater their crops through old-fashioned, wasteful flooding methods. Generally, they don’t pay their own water bills, so they don’t care to conserve. (The PA uses international donor money to pay for this waste.) Moreover, at least one-third of the water being pumped out of the ground by the Palestinians is wasted through leakage and mismanagement – by the Palestinian Water Authority’s own estimates.

The PA euphemistically calls this “unaccounted for water.”

Worse still, no recycling of water takes place in the Palestinian Authority and no treated water is used for agriculture. By contrast, in Israel about half of all agriculture is sustained by treated waste water. In fact, Israel’s use of treated waste water, its desalination activities, and its measures to reduce water losses in the water system add 800 m.c.m. per year to its water supply, amounting to one-third of Israel’s total water usage.

At the same time, 95 percent of the 56 m.c.m. per year of sewage produced by the Palestinians is not treated at all. Palestinian sewage flows untreated into the streams and valleys of the West Bank, and infiltrates into the Mountain Aquifer, polluting it for Jews and Arabs alike. Some 17 m.c.m. per year of raw Palestinian sewage flows into (pre-67) Israel too.

The Palestinians are not allowed to do any of that in area C.

Really?! Palestinians are not allowed to use drip irrigation? Palestinians are prohibited from recycling water? Palestinians are aren't permitted to repair water lines? Link?

Israeli Police destroy villagers vegetable crop and cut off water supply

Includes stealing their irrigation equipment.

We've discussed this incident before. When you pirate water by illegally tapping into the water supply and diverting water with pipes -- that illegal activity is going to be addressed by law enforcement. As it should be.

 

[P F Tinmore]

Farming Without Water. Palestinian Agriculture in the Jordan Valley

Palestinian lies like water.

The PA considers water and waste like weapons against Israel.


But most of all, Gvirtzman’s BESA Center report accuses the PA of doing almost nothing to preventing massive leaking in its domestic pipelines; almost nothing to implement modern water conservation techniques; and nothing to recycle sewage water for irrigation.

In fact, many Palestinian farmers routinely overwater their crops through old-fashioned, wasteful flooding methods. Generally, they don’t pay their own water bills, so they don’t care to conserve. (The PA uses international donor money to pay for this waste.) Moreover, at least one-third of the water being pumped out of the ground by the Palestinians is wasted through leakage and mismanagement – by the Palestinian Water Authority’s own estimates.

The PA euphemistically calls this “unaccounted for water.”

Worse still, no recycling of water takes place in the Palestinian Authority and no treated water is used for agriculture. By contrast, in Israel about half of all agriculture is sustained by treated waste water. In fact, Israel’s use of treated waste water, its desalination activities, and its measures to reduce water losses in the water system add 800 m.c.m. per year to its water supply, amounting to one-third of Israel’s total water usage.

At the same time, 95 percent of the 56 m.c.m. per year of sewage produced by the Palestinians is not treated at all. Palestinian sewage flows untreated into the streams and valleys of the West Bank, and infiltrates into the Mountain Aquifer, polluting it for Jews and Arabs alike. Some 17 m.c.m. per year of raw Palestinian sewage flows into (pre-67) Israel too.

The Palestinians are not allowed to do any of that in area C.

Really?! Palestinians are not allowed to use drip irrigation? Palestinians are prohibited from recycling water? Palestinians are aren't permitted to repair water lines? Link?

Israeli Police destroy villagers vegetable crop and cut off water supply

Includes stealing their irrigation equipment.

We've discussed this incident before. When you pirate water by illegally tapping into the water supply and diverting water with pipes -- that illegal activity is going to be addressed by law enforcement. As it should be.

Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah.

It is Israel that is stealing the water.

 

[Shusha]

Palestinian lies like water.

The PA considers water and waste like weapons against Israel.


But most of all, Gvirtzman’s BESA Center report accuses the PA of doing almost nothing to preventing massive leaking in its domestic pipelines; almost nothing to implement modern water conservation techniques; and nothing to recycle sewage water for irrigation.

In fact, many Palestinian farmers routinely overwater their crops through old-fashioned, wasteful flooding methods. Generally, they don’t pay their own water bills, so they don’t care to conserve. (The PA uses international donor money to pay for this waste.) Moreover, at least one-third of the water being pumped out of the ground by the Palestinians is wasted through leakage and mismanagement – by the Palestinian Water Authority’s own estimates.

The PA euphemistically calls this “unaccounted for water.”

Worse still, no recycling of water takes place in the Palestinian Authority and no treated water is used for agriculture. By contrast, in Israel about half of all agriculture is sustained by treated waste water. In fact, Israel’s use of treated waste water, its desalination activities, and its measures to reduce water losses in the water system add 800 m.c.m. per year to its water supply, amounting to one-third of Israel’s total water usage.

At the same time, 95 percent of the 56 m.c.m. per year of sewage produced by the Palestinians is not treated at all. Palestinian sewage flows untreated into the streams and valleys of the West Bank, and infiltrates into the Mountain Aquifer, polluting it for Jews and Arabs alike. Some 17 m.c.m. per year of raw Palestinian sewage flows into (pre-67) Israel too.

The Palestinians are not allowed to do any of that in area C.

Really?! Palestinians are not allowed to use drip irrigation? Palestinians are prohibited from recycling water? Palestinians are aren't permitted to repair water lines? Link?

Israeli Police destroy villagers vegetable crop and cut off water supply

Includes stealing their irrigation equipment.

We've discussed this incident before. When you pirate water by illegally tapping into the water supply and diverting water with pipes -- that illegal activity is going to be addressed by law enforcement. As it should be.

Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah.

It is Israel that is stealing the water.

Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah. Arab Palestinians are encouraged to be lawless and not take any responsibility for illegal actions like water piracy.

How dare we actually expect Arab Palestinians to obey the law. They should be permitted to do anything they want - steal water, take land, stab people.

 

[P F Tinmore]

The Palestinians are not allowed to do any of that in area C.

Really?! Palestinians are not allowed to use drip irrigation? Palestinians are prohibited from recycling water? Palestinians are aren't permitted to repair water lines? Link?

Israeli Police destroy villagers vegetable crop and cut off water supply

Includes stealing their irrigation equipment.

We've discussed this incident before. When you pirate water by illegally tapping into the water supply and diverting water with pipes -- that illegal activity is going to be addressed by law enforcement. As it should be.

Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah.

It is Israel that is stealing the water.

Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah. Arab Palestinians are encouraged to be lawless and not take any responsibility for illegal actions like water piracy.

How dare we actually expect Arab Palestinians to obey the law. They should be permitted to do anything they want - steal water, take land, stab people.

 

[Shusha]

I'm not interested in watching your Pallywood propaganda videos. I know quite a bit about the water situation in Israel and Areas A, B and C and I'm perfectly willing to do more research when necessary. I'm especially willing to do this because this topic has the potential to actually be a valid criticism of Israel and a worthy topic of discussion instead of the usual Jew/Israel bashing. But you keep bringing the level of discussion back down to "Israel is evil".

The build up areas of Shuqba are in Area B. Shuqba is connected to the water grid supplied by the West Bank Water Department. The responsibility for the infrastructure and policing of pirated water falls to the Palestinian National Authority and the Village Council appointed by them. They are in need of upgrades to the infrastructure to prevent loss of water through leaks and in need of a waste water management system to prevent waste water from contaminating the drinking water in the rainwater cisterns. In Area B -- under Palestinian control.

I can only find one reliably reported instance of water being shut off -- and that was a problem with a pump which needed repair in 2005.

 

[P F Tinmore]

I'm not interested in watching your Pallywood propaganda videos. I know quite a bit about the water situation in Israel and Areas A, B and C and I'm perfectly willing to do more research when necessary. I'm especially willing to do this because this topic has the potential to actually be a valid criticism of Israel and a worthy topic of discussion instead of the usual Jew/Israel bashing. But you keep bringing the level of discussion back down to "Israel is evil".

The build up areas of Shuqba are in Area B. Shuqba is connected to the water grid supplied by the West Bank Water Department. The responsibility for the infrastructure and policing of pirated water falls to the Palestinian National Authority and the Village Council appointed by them. They are in need of upgrades to the infrastructure to prevent loss of water through leaks and in need of a waste water management system to prevent waste water from contaminating the drinking water in the rainwater cisterns. In Area B -- under Palestinian control.

I can only find one reliably reported instance of water being shut off -- and that was a problem with a pump which needed repair in 2005.

Rain water belongs to whoever it falls on. Israel destroys the collection of this water.

Israel's policy is to deny the Palestinians access to water (an act of genocide) to force them to move.

 

[Shusha]

I'm not interested in watching your Pallywood propaganda videos. I know quite a bit about the water situation in Israel and Areas A, B and C and I'm perfectly willing to do more research when necessary. I'm especially willing to do this because this topic has the potential to actually be a valid criticism of Israel and a worthy topic of discussion instead of the usual Jew/Israel bashing. But you keep bringing the level of discussion back down to "Israel is evil".

The build up areas of Shuqba are in Area B. Shuqba is connected to the water grid supplied by the West Bank Water Department. The responsibility for the infrastructure and policing of pirated water falls to the Palestinian National Authority and the Village Council appointed by them. They are in need of upgrades to the infrastructure to prevent loss of water through leaks and in need of a waste water management system to prevent waste water from contaminating the drinking water in the rainwater cisterns. In Area B -- under Palestinian control.

I can only find one reliably reported instance of water being shut off -- and that was a problem with a pump which needed repair in 2005.

Rain water belongs to whoever it falls on. Israel destroys the collection of this water.

Israel's policy is to deny the Palestinians access to water (an act of genocide) to force them to move.

Just don't blame Israel when Arabs contaminate their own rainwater.

 

[abi]

I'm not interested in watching your Pallywood propaganda videos.

The irony, wow. You post propaganda day after day for a brutal regime. You are now spreading lies as an attempt to cover for Israel stealing water. You spent the other day trying to cover for Israel's crimes against children. Where does this end?

 

[Shusha]

I'm not interested in watching your Pallywood propaganda videos.

The irony, wow. You post propaganda day after day for a brutal regime. You are now spreading lies as an attempt to cover for Israel stealing water. You spent the other day trying to cover for Israel's crimes against children. Where does this end?

On the contrary, abi. I point out the hypocrisy of Arabs and their useful idiots. And the complete lack of responsibility Arabs have for solving their own problems.

Propaganda videos, like the ones Tinman posted, contain no information and only vitriol and blaming and Jew bashing. You are the one who wants to discuss things in an academic level. And yet you seem incapable of doing it. You fall back to the same level of propaganda that every one of Arab Palestine's useful idiots do.

Water is a great academic topic. As are "settlements". As is the treatment of children. And the criminal actions of children. Great topics. But you and Tinmore and nearly everyone else on this board on Team Palestine is entirely incapable of having objective, nuanced, properly researched conversations on these topics.

Instead, you all go back to the unsophisticated idea that it's Arab land, Arab water, Arab air, Arab sky and Jews are evil.

 

[abi]

I'm not interested in watching your Pallywood propaganda videos.

The irony, wow. You post propaganda day after day for a brutal regime. You are now spreading lies as an attempt to cover for Israel stealing water. You spent the other day trying to cover for Israel's crimes against children. Where does this end?

On the contrary, abi. I point out the hypocrisy of Arabs and their useful idiots. And the complete lack of responsibility Arabs have for solving their own problems.

Propaganda videos, like the ones Tinman posted, contain no information and only vitriol and blaming and Jew bashing. You are the one who wants to discuss things in an academic level. And yet you seem incapable of doing it. You fall back to the same level of propaganda that every one of Arab Palestine's useful idiots do.

Water is a great academic topic. As are "settlements". As is the treatment of children. And the criminal actions of children. Great topics. But you and Tinmore and nearly everyone else on this board on Team Palestine is entirely incapable of having objective, nuanced, properly researched conversations on these topics.

Instead, you all go back to the unsophisticated idea that it's Arab land, Arab water, Arab air, Arab sky and Jews are evil.

No, you do exactly what you accused your enemies of doing. You do this daily, as it is some kind of compulsion you are afflicted with.

You are lying about the water and blaming the victims in support of a brutal and sometimes inhuman regime. You want academic discussion about water?

Water is the only issue in which Israel (still) finds it difficult to defend its discriminatory, oppressive and destructive policy with pretexts of security and God.

Israeli spokespeople have three answers ready to pull out when they respond to questions on the water shortage in West Bank Palestinian towns – which stands out starkly compared to the hydrological smugness of the settlements: 1) The Palestinian water system is old, so it suffers from water loss; 2) the Palestinians steal water from each other, and from the Israelis; and 3) in general, Israel has in its great generosity doubled the amount of water it supplies to the Palestinians, compared to what was called for in the Oslo Accords.

“Supplies,” the spokespeople will write in their responses. They will never say Israel sells the Palestinians 64 million cubic meters of water a year instead of the 31 million cubic meters agreed to in the Oslo Accords. Accords that were signed in 1994, and that were supposed to come to an end in 1999. They will not say that Israel sells the Palestinians water that it first stole from them.
read more: Israel incapable of telling truth about water it steals from Palestinians

Just stop. Everything you have wasted your time typing has been debunked by Israeli Jews themselves!

 

[Shusha]

You are lying about the water and blaming the victims in support of a brutal and sometimes inhuman regime.

Nothing about this first sentence is objective, researched, nuanced or academic. Its bashing.

Water is the only issue in which Israel (still) finds it difficult to defend its discriminatory, oppressive and destructive policy with pretexts of security and God.

Nothing about this is objective, researched, nuanced or academic. Its bashing.

Israeli spokespeople have three answers ready to pull out when they respond to questions on the water shortage in West Bank Palestinian towns – which stands out starkly compared to the hydrological smugness of the settlements: 1) The Palestinian water system is old, so it suffers from water loss; 2) the Palestinians steal water from each other, and from the Israelis; and 3) in general, Israel has in its great generosity doubled the amount of water it supplies to the Palestinians, compared to what was called for in the Oslo Accords.

Yep. I brought up these very things in posts #55 and 56. Did you care to refute them with objective facts and researched arguments?

Specifically, here is how Arab Palestine can massively increase the amount of water, especially drinking water, available to its citizens with NO influence or interference from Israel.

1. Drill in the approved sites in the Eastern Aquifer. (+50 million cubic meters per annum)
2. Reduce urban waste in Areas A and B and Gaza by repair to infrastructure. (+20 million cubic meters per annum)
3. Collect and treat urban waste water. (+60 million cubic meters per annum)
4. Adopt drip irrigation methods. (+20 million cubic meters per annum)
5. Build a water desalination plant in Gaza, entirely funded by international donors (+60-100 million cubic meters per annum)

Why are they not doing this? None of this has ANYTHING to do with Israel. Why are they not assisting their own people obtain clean drinking water?

 

[P F Tinmore]

5. Build a water desalination plant in Gaza, entirely funded by international donors (+60-100 million cubic meters per annum)

So, what is the holdup? Is Hamas sitting there with a gun saying not to build?

 

[P F Tinmore]

You are lying about the water and blaming the victims in support of a brutal and sometimes inhuman regime.

Nothing about this first sentence is objective, researched, nuanced or academic. Its bashing.

Water is the only issue in which Israel (still) finds it difficult to defend its discriminatory, oppressive and destructive policy with pretexts of security and God.

Nothing about this is objective, researched, nuanced or academic. Its bashing.

Israeli spokespeople have three answers ready to pull out when they respond to questions on the water shortage in West Bank Palestinian towns – which stands out starkly compared to the hydrological smugness of the settlements: 1) The Palestinian water system is old, so it suffers from water loss; 2) the Palestinians steal water from each other, and from the Israelis; and 3) in general, Israel has in its great generosity doubled the amount of water it supplies to the Palestinians, compared to what was called for in the Oslo Accords.

Yep. I brought up these very things in posts #55 and 56. Did you care to refute them with objective facts and researched arguments?

Specifically, here is how Arab Palestine can massively increase the amount of water, especially drinking water, available to its citizens with NO influence or interference from Israel.

1. Drill in the approved sites in the Eastern Aquifer. (+50 million cubic meters per annum)
2. Reduce urban waste in Areas A and B and Gaza by repair to infrastructure. (+20 million cubic meters per annum)
3. Collect and treat urban waste water. (+60 million cubic meters per annum)
4. Adopt drip irrigation methods. (+20 million cubic meters per annum)
5. Build a water desalination plant in Gaza, entirely funded by international donors (+60-100 million cubic meters per annum)

Why are they not doing this? None of this has ANYTHING to do with Israel. Why are they not assisting their own people obtain clean drinking water?

Mostly deflection and does not address the issues in question.

The loss of large stretches of agricultural land, after 1967, due to land confiscation and closures, and limitations on water supply and product markets, has led to a substantial decline in the production of this sector.

In 1967, Palestinian agricultural production was almost identical to Israel's: tomatoes, cucumbers and melons were roughly half of Israel's crop; plums and grape production were equal to Israel's; and Palestinian production of olives, dates and almonds was higher. At that time, the West Bank exported 80% of the entire vegetable crop it produced, and 45% of total fruit production (Hazboun, S., 1986).

The agricultural sector was hit hard after Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Thereafter the sector�s contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the Palestinian Occupied Territories declined. Between 1968/1970 and 1983/1985 the percentage of agricultural contribution to the overall GDP in the West Bank fell from 37.4-53.5% to 18.5-25.4% (UNCTAD, 1990). The labour force employed in this sector has also declined. Between 1969 and 1985, the agricultural labour force, as a percentage of the total labour force, fell from 46 to 27.4% (Kahan, D., 1987).

There has been a continuous decline in the Palestinian cultivated areas in the West Bank since 1967. In 1965, before the Israeli occupation, the actual cultivated area was estimated at 2,435 km2 (Al-'Aloul, K., 1987). The total area fell to 1,951 km2 in 1980. In 1985, the cultivated area reached 1,735 km2, and in 1989, it was 1,706 km2 (UNCTAD, 1990). The average of actual cultivated land in the West Bank, between 1980 and 1994 was 1,707 km2, a reduction by 30% of the area cultivated in 1965.�

Israel has restricted Palestinian water usage and exploited Palestinian water resources after occupation. Presently, more than 85% of the Palestinian water from the West Bank aquifers is taken by Israel, accounting for 25.3% of Israel�s water needs. Palestinians are also denied their right to utilize water resources from the Jordan and Yarmouk Rivers, to which both Israel and Palestine are riparians. West Bank farmers historically used the waters of the Jordan River to irrigate their fields, but this source has become quite polluted as Israel is diverting saline water flows from around Lake Tiberias into the lower Jordan. Moreover, Israeli diversions from Lake Tiberias into the National Water Carrier have reduced the flow considerably, leaving Palestinians downstream with little water of low quality.

Agriculture in Palestine​

 

[P F Tinmore]

Living under occupation in Palestine with Janna Jihad

 

[Shusha]

So, what is the holdup? Is Hamas sitting there with a gun saying not to build?

That's the point! There is no hold up. Anytime Arab Palestinians want to help their own people -- they can. It just means they are going to have to take responsibility and stop blaming Israel.

(btw, the Gaza desalination plant has already been built. Opened in January if memory serves.)

 

[P F Tinmore]

Rania Khalek

 

[P F Tinmore]

Karma Nabulsi - The 'Treasure' of Revolutions: A Tradition of Thought and Practice.

 

[P F Tinmore]

Ali Abunimah: Israeli Apartheid & Beyond.