Joint Israeli-Palestinian resource management in the West Bank has deteriorated in recent years. As a result, Palestinians in the West Bank are suffering from inadequate access to basic resources. A lack of basic resources has further exacerbated Palestinians’ already dire situation. Political instability in the West Bank is ripe given the current circumstances. A commission to address resource management in the West Bank ought to be established. A successful commission would govern resource allocation, invest in infrastructure, and facilitate technology sharing.
The only partially successful joint Israeli-Palestinian resource management agreement was detailed in the 1995 Interim Agreement (Oslo II). The agreement created the Joint Water Committee (JWC) and included sections on fisheries, forests, nonrenewable energy resources, quarries and mines, and water. Although filled with imperfections, the Oslo II agreement began the necessary work of formalizing joint resource management in the West Bank. However, many parts of Oslo II (including the JWC) have fallen into disuse in recent years. The Palestinian people in the West Bank have directly suffered from inadequate resource access as a result.
The clearest example of Palestinians’ lack of resource access is water. Palestinians in the West Bank have access to only 62 liters of water per day for domestic consumption – the WHO considers 100 liters the minimum for basic health and hygiene. The gap between access and need is only predicted to grow. Similar gaps exist for other natural resources as well. The causes of these gaps are numerous and varied. However, most boil down to inadequate resource management in the West Bank. Poor management has resulted in frivolous allocation amounts, unaffordable prices, and insufficient investment in infrastructure.
Inadequate resource access has diminished Palestinians’ quality of life. The State of Palestine’s HDI has remained stagnant for the past thirty years and has only fallen in comparative rank. Growing dissatisfaction in the West Bank has led to an increasing number of Palestinians to demand a change in governmental leadership. A change of leadership could easily result in Hamas becoming the ruling government. This transition would further destabilize the West Bank and perhaps the region. The risk is compounded by inadequate access to basic resources. There are strong links between water insecurity, political instability, and regional upheaval. Resource insecurity is a risk multiplier. Thus, improving resource management in the West Bank is imperative to improving quality of life and decreasing the risk of political instability.
A commission responsible for resource management in the West Bank would serve as an effective and pragmatic solution. The Commission on Resource Management in the West Bank (CRM) ought to be established. The CRM would have three primary functions: (1) readjusting and enforcing resource allowances per the 1995 interim agreement and WHO guidelines, (2) investing in critical infrastructure in the West Bank, and (3) facilitating technology sharing and bilateral cooperation.
The CRM would not be strictly affiliated with either the Israeli or Palestinian governments. Rather, it would exist as an autonomous entity that is comprised of Israelis, Palestinians, and independent nations and entities. This structure would reduce the risk of politicization and collapse – a problem faced by the JWC and similar initiatives (e.g. Yemen Water Program).
The CRM would receive funds from USAID, the World Bank, UNDP, UNRWA, and other interested parties. All funds would be offered as grants rather than loans. This funding mechanism would incentivize both the Israeli and Palestinian governments to concede their jurisdictional authority over resource management in the West Bank. The CRM would be directly responsible for all resource allocation and management. However, this function will be only temporary. The Israeli and Palestinian governments will regain their jurisdictional authority once a Permanent Status agreement is reached. After such an agreement, the CRM will continue to invest in infrastructure, facilitate technology sharing, and foster bilateral cooperation.
Ultimately, establishing an independent commission to govern resource management in the West Bank offers the greatest promise of improving the quality of life for Palestinians and reducing the risk of political instability.
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