On Friday 22 March 2013, people around the world celebrate World Water Day.
It is an important occasion to assert the right of water.
We cannot live in dignity without water.
Implementing the right to water is a prior condition to implement other human rights.
The right to water is part of the basics to ensure adequate living and enjoying of thehighest attainable standard of health.
This right is accompanied by other human rights such as the right to live and dignity under International Bill of Human Rights.
In December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2013 as the United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation (Resolution A/RES/65/154).
In reflection of this declaration, the 2013 World Water Day, which will take place on 22 March 2013, also will be dedicated to water cooperation.
The occasion comes this year as the Israeli occupation forces continue to deprive Palestinians from their right to water through a group of practices.
According to facts on the ground, the Palestinian percentage of pool water is 15% and the Israeli percentage of these pools is 85% including settlers in the West Bank.
The percentage of Gaza Strip from costal pools is only 18% while the Israeli is 82%.
Pure water in the occupied Palestinian territory is approximately 2.
4 milliard cube per year.
Israel uses 90% of it and Palestinians only use 10%.
The Israeli pricing for water shows discrimination between Palestinians and settlers.
Palestinians pay for water five times of Israeli settlers.
This makes Israelis consumption of water higher than the Palestinians.
The percentage of valley water available to settlers is 18% while Palestinians 1%.
The average of a Palestinian individual consumption of water is 135 litters a day, less than what the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended 150 letters a day.
An Israeli individual consumes 353 litters a day.
Israeli settler in the West Bank consumes seven times of Palestinians; 900 letters a day.
Palestinian water situation is catastrophic; particularly in the Gaza Strip-over 95% of the drinking water in the Gaza Strip is polluted.
The groundwater is three times less than the rainfall levels.
In a UN report “Gaza in 2020: A Liveable Place”, water situation is catastrophic and will continue to get worse over the coming years.
In 2016, aquifer will become unusable.
It will be impossible to solve damages in 2012 if we do not start work on solving procedures now.
Moreover, there is expectation on demands for fresh water to grow to 260 million cubic meters per year by 2020, an increase of some 60% over current levels of abstraction from the aquifer.
The Al Mezan Center for Human Rights asserts on the importance of international cooperation in water field to help people around the world to enjoy their water rights.
Al Mezan expresses its concern for the current water situations in the occupied Palestinian territory which resulted from the Israeli practices and policies.
Therefore, Al Mezan calls on: 1.
The international community and the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to uphold its responsibility and exert pressure on Israel to: a.
Uphold its responsibility towards Palestinians and ensure their enjoyment of their water rights; b.
To avoid attacking civilian objects and infrastructure, particularly related to water sector; c.
Ensure the entry of equipment and spare parts used in water projects and waste water in the Gaza Strip; d.
Remove water wells erected by Israeli forces along the separation line as it affects the aquifer; e.
Get rid of small dams erected by Israeli forces to prevent surface water of valleys, particularly the Gaza Strip valley; f.
Stop transferring high quality aquifer to Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Israeli cities in Israel; g.
Decrease the unfair usage of water by Israeli settlers; h.
Stop polluting aquifer by settlements wastes; 2.
Donating countries to refund projects that it suspended its funding; 3.
Donating countries which transferred their fund from development projects to urgent projects; 4.
Donating counties to increase their funds to develop Palestinian water sector.
5.
Palestinian Authority to put water on top of their priorities in any negotiations with Israelis to ensure the Palestinian water rights; and 6.
Palestinian Authority and Palestinian society forces to gather their efforts to have a campaign to disclose Israeli violations of the right to water.
End