WATER OFFICIALS DISCUSS COOPERATION FOLLOWING

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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