Why is water so crucial in the region?

Water is key to survival. Its scarcity in the region makes it a much sought-after commodity, and a major point in the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. This makes water both a political issue and a humanitarian one, and a heavily discussed topic in the international arena. However, the discussion pool is rife with broad and even conflicting statistics and statements on water.

So what is the truth about water?

As the two main bodies that interact with the Palestinian side on the issue of water, the Civil Administration and the Israeli Water Authority are the primary Israeli sources of information on water issues. This short brief will provide some basic background facts on the issue, as well as some key information about the situation in the West Bank today.

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