US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV6020

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 006020 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2015 
TAGS: SENV, EAID, PREL, KWBG, IS, ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS, GAZA DISENGAGEMENT 
SUBJECT: WATER OFFICIALS DISCUSS COOPERATION FOLLOWING 
DISENGAGEMENT 
 
REF: TEL AVIV 02533 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Gene A. Cretz, reasons 1.4 b and 
 d. 
 
1. (C) Summary:  At Trilateral Water Talks in Tel Aviv 
September 22 Israeli and Palestinian water officials agreed 
to discuss possible new water supplies for Gaza, including 
the purchase of water from the Israeli grid for the former 
settlement areas and the possibility of larger quantities 
from the Ashkelon desalination plant or the Israeli grid. 
The sides will also cooperate to rectify damage to wells 
following the recent turnover.  Planning is moving ahead for 
a donor coordination meeting on water needs, with an emphasis 
on addressing sewage treatment in Gaza.  End summary. 
 
Water Officials Looking Ahead After Disengagement 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
2. (C) On September 22, the U.S.-Israeli-Palestinian 
Trilateral Water Working Group (TWWG), chaired by NEA Senior 
S&T Advisor Charles Lawson, gathered at USAID offices in Tel 
Aviv for the first meeting of the group following Israel's 
disengagement from Gaza and part of the West Bank.  In 
opening remarks, Ambassador Jones noted that although he had 
only just started in his new position, he welcomed the 
opportunity to address the TWWG to emphasize the importance 
the United States places on the TWWG's cooperative activities 
that so positively affect people's lives.  The Ambassador 
encouraged the group to set a date for a donor coordination 
meeting to address water and sewage treatment needs, to 
finalize arrangements for the Gaza Emergency Connector, and 
to consider the possibility of continuing supplies from the 
Israeli grid to the former settlement areas in Gaza.  In his 
opening remarks, Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) Chairman 
Fadel Ka'wash highlighted the serious sewage problem in Gaza 
and said that disengagement provided an opportunity to 
improve the situation.  Israeli Water Commissioner Shimon Tal 
emphasized the need to continue practical cooperation on 
water issues.  Ambassador William Taylor, U.S. Representative 
to the Quartet Special Envoy, urged the group to develop an 
overall plan for water supplies; he noted that donors were 
looking to improve the quality of life and economic prospects 
of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. 
 
3. (C) Ka'wash reported that the Israeli water company 
Mekorot had cut water supplies at the Rafah crossing 
following disengagement.  Tal committed to addressing that 
issue and any other post-disengagement water issues promptly, 
including in the Joint Water Committee (JWC) and the Joint 
Technical Committee (JTC).  Both sides agreed to exchange 
technical information to allow the PWA to repair damage to 
wells and pipes that had occurred following disengagement. 
 
Additional Water Supplies from Israel to Gaza 
--------------------------------------------- 
4. (C) During the meeting, the PWA and USAID signed an MOU 
for construction of the Gaza Emergency Connector, which will 
carry 5 million cubic meters/year of water from Israel into 
Gaza.  (Note:  In the 1995 Interim Agreement, Israel agreed 
to sell the Palestinians 5 MCM/year of water for use in Gaza. 
 For a variety of technical, bureaucratic, and political 
reasons, the project is only now being implemented.  End 
note).  Lawson encouraged the Israeli and Palestinian sides 
to finalize their arrangements in the JWC to ensure that 
water from this project would start flowing as soon as 
possible. 
 
5. (C) The sides agreed to hold discussions within the JWC on 
possible additional water supplies to Gaza.  The planned 
discussions will include the possible purchase of supplies 
from the Israeli grid to the former settlement areas in Gaza 
to supplement supplies from the wells recently turned over to 
the PWA.  Ka'wash reported that the PA Cabinet had agreed in 
principle to consider purchasing up to an additional 15 MCM 
annually (over and above the 5 MCM for the Emergency 
Connector) from the recently-opened Israeli desalination 
plant at Ashkelon or from the Israeli national water system. 
That possibility will also be addressed in the JWC. 
 
Many West Bank Villages Still Lack Water 
---------------------------------------- 
6. (C) Ka'wash noted that some JWC-approved projects were 
seriously behind schedule, and many more have been waiting 
for approval for many months (or longer).  He emphasized that 
the PWA had proposed these projects to meet urgent needs of 
Palestinians in the northern West Bank.  As an example, 
Ka'wash noted that up to 200 villages in the West Bank are 
not connected to water supplies.  Tal said the Israeli team 
had been urging the JWC to begin serious discussion of the 
long-term water needs of the West Bank.  He argued that if 
the JWC continues to focus only on immediate issues, that 
will never lead to a comprehensive solution to the water 
problems.  While committing to moving forward on projects 
already before the JWC, Tal admitted that work on those 
projects would be easier if there were a vision of long-term 
supply solutions, such as a dedicated desalination plant on 
the Israeli coast to supply water to the northern West Bank. 
Lawson urged both sides to discuss long-term options even as 
they worked to resolve immediate supply issues.  In addition 
to these issues, the JWC will address planning for the 
Bethlehem-Abu Dis wastewater treatment plant.  USAID already 
has committed in principle to be a partner in this project. 
 
Donor Coordination Conference 
----------------------------- 
7. (C) Both sides agreed to work towards a donor coordination 
conference to address wastewater and sewage treatment and the 
need for additional supplies of potable water.  The TWWG 
agreed to tentatively schedule the conference for 
mid-November.  A planning meeting for the donor coordination 
conference, with Embassy, Consulate General, USAID, Water 
Commission, Civil Administration and PWA participation, is 
scheduled for October 12.  Lawson noted that USAID also was 
ready to provide assistance to the PWA on creating consumer 
awareness, including the need for appropriate pricing and 
timely payment to ensure treatment of sewage and the 
availability of clean water supplies. 
 
Comment 
------- 
8. (C) According to Ka'wash, when the PA Cabinet first 
considered the 5 MCM Gaza Emergency Connector, it rejected 
the project, questioning why the Palestinians should buy 
water from Israel.  There was also concern whether purchasing 
the 5 MCM might affect future final status negotiations on 
water.  At the next cabinet meeting, which Ka'wash attended, 
he so convincingly argued that the water situation in Gaza is 
dire that the cabinet approved not only the 5 MCM project but 
also the purchase in principle of an additional 15 MCM from 
Israel.  While the 5 MCM project should move forward very 
soon, the additional 15 MCM will take more time to implement, 
as the Israelis and Palestinians will have to work through 
all the details in the JWC.  Concerning the sewage situation 
in Gaza, which Ka'wash pointed out is also very serious, the 
donor conference will be an essential step in addressing that 
problem. 
 
9. (C) Ka'wash's complaint that too many projects before the 
JWC have been stalled for too long is not a new one.  Most of 
the projects to which he was referring are projects in the 
northern West Bank.  This area is one of the greatest 
sensitivity to the Israelis, because most of the water that 
Israel uses from the West Bank comes from this area.  Thus, 
Israel very carefully scrutinizes projects to determine if 
they might adversely affect any Israeli water sources.  Over 
time, the GOI and PA, together with the donor community, will 
need to look at creative solutions to address in a more 
comprehensive way the long-term water needs of the West Bank 
and Gaza.  Most experts agree that water desalination will 
have to be an integral part of any long-term comprehensive 
solution.  End comment. 
 
10. (U) NEA/RA Lawson and Consulate General Jerusalem cleared 
this message. 
 
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