Theory

As one could see from the "Background" section, a simple humanitarian intervention would not be sufficient to address the political and cultural issues between Israel and Palestine. Therefore, in addition to an environmental aspect, a theoretical framework should also consist of a peacebuilding aspect. In order to address the complexity between the water issues and their broader political implications, one needs to discuss the "linkages between external and internal interactions over freshwater resources." (Giordano et al 293).

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Linkages Concerning Security

“The relationship between water and lasting peace has major implications concerning human health, food security and securing basic incomes – and thus for ensuring human security” (Kramer 9).

Israel/Palestine Example:

  • “Since Israel’s founding in 1948, water has remained inextricably linked with national security, and water use has been viewed as a means for both agricultural and economic output as well as national survival” (Giordano et al 295).

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Regional Linkages

“Environmental problems can provide incentives for cooperation and collective action across political boundaries and ethnic divides. In many instances, parties whose relations are otherwise characterized by distrust and hostility – if not open violence – have found that environmental issues, such as shared water resources, are one of the few areas in which they can sustain ongoing dialogue” (Kramer 10).

Israel/Palestine Example:

  • “The Jordan River is shared with four other political units – Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority – and the hydrologic interdependency of these countries and territory has become increasingly apparent as utilization rates within the Jordan basin increase” (Giordano et al 295).

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Political/NGO Linkages

“It is reasonably clear under international law that Israel and Palestine are expected to co-operate in their use of their shared water resources, for both groundwater and surface water, although how precisely the two nations should manage their shared resources is not specified” (Chenoweth 254).

Israel/Palestine Example:

  • “In the 1995 Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Israel acknowledged Palestinian water rights for the first time, but actual negotiation of these rights was considered too contentious, and was therefore postponed to he permanent status negotiations. For the interim period, the agreement basically maintained water allocations for Israel” (Kramer 12).

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Summary:

In addition to being a matter of humanitarian concern, water issues in the Gaza Strip and around the world are often connected with internal/external politics of the region. Furthermore, the economic, political, and cultural constructs of territoriality are constantly being contested from both sides (Delaney 2).  The major challenge for international, regional, and domestic actors concerned with the water issue in Gaza is to coordinate their humanitarian efforts in accordance with the politics of the region.