US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV1340

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 001340 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2015 
TAGS: EAID, IS, KWBG, PREL, SENV, GAZA DISENGAGEMENT, ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS, ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 
SUBJECT: GAZA DISENGAGEMENT WATER ISSUES: STILL MUCH WORK 
TO DO 
 
REF: 04 TEL AVIV 6500 
 
Classified By: Economic Counselor William Weinstein, reasons 1.4 (b) an 
d (d). 
 
This message has been cleared with Consulate General 
Jerusalem and USAID West Bank-Gaza Mission. 
 
1. (C) Summary:  Although Israeli and Palestinian water 
officials have generally displayed relatively close 
cooperation, they have not worked out specific arrangements 
pertaining to Israel's disengagement from Gaza and the 
northern West Bank.  The Israeli Water Commissioner reported 
that Israel has solved its water scarcity problem by 
desalination and waste water treatment, and can supply 
additional water to Gaza, albeit at market prices.  The 
acting Chairman of the Palestinian Water Authority is more 
knowledgeable about the West Bank than Gaza, and recently 
questioned whether the PA should take over agricultural 
assets when Israeli settlers depart Gaza.  We are urging both 
sides to meet soon to review outstanding water issues related 
to Gaza disengagement.  End summary. 
 
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Israel Solving Problem of Water Scarcity, But Still Issues of 
Ability to Pay 
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2. (SBU) Econ Counselor, ESTH Officer, and USAID West 
Bank-Gaza Water Projects Director called on Israeli Water 
Commissioner Shimon Tal on February 28 to inquire about 
preparations for Gaza disengagement and related issues.  Tal 
said he and his colleagues believed they have solved the 
problem of water scarcity in Israel through desalination and 
treatment of wastewater.  Regarding water quality, the 
Commission is working with several U.S. companies to remove 
excess salts from ground water.  Israel's water problem is 
now one of "financial scarcity," Tal said.  Industry and 
municipalities are able to pay for water, but "national 
interests," particularly agriculture and nature preserves and 
other open green spaces, can not pay the real cost of water. 
Tal said Israel's water sector needs to be reorganized to 
place all water management "under one roof" to manage such 
public needs "more on natural principles."  Then Israel would 
be able to prevent future scarcity problems. 
 
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GOI Committed to Helping Gaza with Water Needs 
--------------------------------------------- - 
3. (C) On Gaza Disengagement, Tal said that the amount of 
water currently supplied to Israeli settlers was minor 
compared to Gaza's total needs.  He anticipates that the 
wells used by the settlers would be turned over to the 
Palestinian Authority (PA).  Although the national grid would 
need to provide water for new settlements within Israel 
proper, the Commission could continue to provide current or 
even greater quantities to Gaza from the grid, albeit at 
market prices.  (Note:  Water currently supplied to the 
settlers for agricultural use is subsidized, but Israel would 
not make those subsidies available to the PA.  End note). 
 
4. (C) The Commission and the PWA have not yet discussed 
specific arrangements related to Gaza disengagement.  Tal 
said he was waiting for "an agreement" between Israel and the 
PA on disengagement, but would be willing to work with the 
PWA to ensure turnover arrangements went smoothly.  ESTH 
Officer and USAID Water Projects Director spoke briefly with 
Infrastructure Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer March 2 on the 
margins of the Desalination Conference in Tel Aviv.  The 
Minister said he hoped the Palestinians "would be independent 
soon," and that he was ready to support their needs for water 
supplies in the meantime. 
 
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Unauthorized Wells: Cooperation and Concern 
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5. (C) Tal said that the IDF had recently taken action 
against nine unauthorized wells on the West Bank in 
cooperation with the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA).  He 
was very concerned that the PWA would lose control of 
unauthorized drilling on the West Bank after disengagement. 
(Note:  This is more of a long-term issue as the four small 
settlement areas in the northern West Bank that will be 
evacuated will likely remain classified as Area C, where 
Israel has full administrative and security control.  End 
note).  Haphazard drilling had already ruined the aquifer in 
Gaza. 
 
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Acting PWA Chairman Just Starting to Focus on Disengagement 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
6. (C) ESTH Officer discussed preparations for disengagement 
with PWA Acting Chairman Fadel Kawash over lunch at the 
Desalination Conference.  Kawash said the new PA Agriculture 
Minister Waleed Abed Rabo had asked him whether the PA should 
try to maintain settler agri-business assets (e.g. 
greenhouses) following disengagement.  Kawash told the 
agriculture minister that from the standpoint of water, the 
PA should not/not maintain those operations.  He said he was 
concerned that water catchment structures on the settlements 
might be preventing replenishment of the Gush Katif aquifer. 
When ESTH Officer noted that the settlers relied primarily on 
wells and the Israeli grid, Kawash said he may have spoken 
too soon and needed to get more information.  He commented 
that he and Tal needed to improve the exchange of information 
related to disengagement. 
 
7. (C) Kawash said that he and Ben-Eliezer spoke just before 
the conference started earlier that day and had agreed to 
meet in the near future to discuss priority projects.  He 
asked that the U.S. continue to work to bring the sides 
together and encourage the exchange of information and 
cooperation related to Gaza disengagement.  ESTH Officer saw 
Tal at the Desalination Conference later that day and urged 
him to move forward on sharing information with Kawash. 
 
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Plenty of Work To Do 
-------------------- 
8. (C) Comment:  The Water Commission and the PWA continued 
their cooperation throughout the Intifadah.  However, they 
have been slow to rise to the new challenges posed by Gaza 
disengagement.  This is largely because most direct 
discussions between the GOI and PA on disengagement did not 
begin until February.  The lack of direct discussions in the 
water sector is likely reflective of the recent death after a 
long illness of long-time PWA Chair Nabil Sharif who was 
based in Gaza and hesitation by both Tal and Kawash about 
getting out in front of the process.  We will be pressing the 
NSC and other Israeli bodies involved in disengagement to 
assure Tal that he can move ahead with informational 
exchanges on water.  We will also continue to encourage the 
parties to make water arrangements for Gaza 
disengement-related water arrangements a major topic for 
discussion at the next meeting of the Trilateral Water 
Working Group, tentatively scheduled for April 7.  End 
comment. 
 
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