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Viewing cable 06TELAVIV712, POLLUTED MOUNTAIN AQUIFER BINDS PALESTINIANS AND

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06TELAVIV712 2006-02-17 14:05 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Tel Aviv
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS TEL AVIV 000712 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/RA, NEA/IPA, AND OES/SCI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV PREL EAID PGOV KPAL KWBG IS ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: POLLUTED MOUNTAIN AQUIFER BINDS PALESTINIANS AND 
ISRAELIS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY. 
 
Consulate General Jerusalem has cleared this message. 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  A recent symposium on pollution of shared 
Israeli-Palestinian groundwater highlighted that sewage and 
untreated solid waste seriously threaten the health of the 
Mountain Aquifer which provides water to Palestinians, 
Israeli settlers on the West Bank, and other Israeli citizens 
in Green Line Israel.  Most solid waste and sewage is not 
treated at all, though international donors have developed 
plans to address many of the most pressing pollution 
problems.  Israeli officials at the symposium urged donors to 
move forward with such projects despite the Hamas electoral 
victory January 25, though they noted that GOI policy 
precluded working with Hamas.  The Israeli officials' 
promotion of sewage and solid waste projects reflected the 
humanitarian nature of such projects, plus the reality that 
the Aquifer is of critical importance to Israelis as well as 
Palestinians.  End summary. 
 
2. (U) Friends of the Earth Middle East (FOEME/EcoPeace) 
sponsored a Symposium "Pollution of the Mountain Aquifer: 
Threats, Obstacles and Solutions," in Jerusalem January 31. 
FOEME Israel Director Gidon Bromberg noted that 
Israeli-Palestian cooperation on water projects had continued 
even during the recent Intifada, but such cooperation had not 
occured on treatment of solid waste.  One of the co-authors 
of FOEME reports on pollution of the shared Mountain Aquifer 
by sewage and solid waste stated that the Aquifer provides 
600 million cubic meters (MCM) of renewable water per year, 
serving 2.3 million Palestinians, 235,000 Israeli settlers, 
and 500,000 in Israel proper. 
 
3. (U) Several speakers described the low degree of treatment 
of solid waste and sewage on the West Bank (the Aquifer sits 
under most of the West Bank and part of Green Line Israel), 
but also how the establishment of proper waste disposal sites 
and sewage treatment could greatly reduce pollution of the 
Aquifer.  A representative of the World Bank pointed out that 
there are almost 1,000 random dump sites at present.  GOI 
representatives highlighted the lack of special handling for 
hazardous and medical wastes.  Beni el-Baz, head of 
Environmental Coordination for the Civil Administration, 
stressed the critical importance of protecting the Aquifer 
for future generations.  Ilan Nissim of the GOI Ministry of 
Environment joined el-Baz in saying that the creation of 
sanitary landfills for Ramallah, Hebron, Nablus and other 
population centers in the West Bank was a vital concern for 
Israelis as well as Palestinians.  Both officials urged 
donors to find a way to address pollution concerns despite 
worries about the recent election results.  Donor 
representatives mentioned the possible need to find NGOs to 
work with donors on waste treatment projects.  The FOEME 
reports and donor presentations showed that donors had 
developed plans to address many of the outstanding sewage and 
solid waste concerns. 
 
4 (SBU) Comment:  It was striking that the Israeli officials 
at the symposium were so proactive in urging donors to 
address pollution problems in the West Bank, despite the 
recent electoral victory by Hamas.  That emphasis represents 
not only the humanitarian nature of sewage and solid waste 
problems, but also the fact that the Mountain Aquifer is such 
an important source of fresh water for Israel.  End comment. 
 
********************************************* ******************** 
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv 
 
You can also access this site through the State Department's 
Classified SIPRNET website. 
********************************************* ******************** 
JONES