CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VIII (2) ContEurVIII2 | Page 100

CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VIII (2)
It should be pointed out that certain steps are being taken in this
respect to build a central large-scale desalination plant in the Gaza Strip,
to increase the quality of potable water and overcome the humanitarian
crisis. On March 20, 2018, Brussels hosted the international donor
Pledging Conference co-chaired by the European Commission, led by the
EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement
Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, and the PA, as well as by the Palestinian
Prime Minister, Rami Hamdallah, in partnership with a number of
international institutions, including the European Investment Bank (EIB),
the Union for Mediterranean (UfM), the Islamic Development Bank
(IDB), and the World Bank to construct the desalination plant in the Gaza
Strip. This project aims to meet the demands of about 2 million of Gaza’s
population. In total, the construction of the desalination plant costs
approximately 562.3 million EUR to ensure 55 MCM/y of clean drinking
water, of which there have been pledges of 456 million EUR during the
conference, and 77.1 million EUR only by the European Union (EU). 55
Although, it is still too early to assess this project and how much it
will justify the expectations, it should be noted that if it is implemented
this will be an important contribution for improving the water situation in
the Gaza Strip.
Purchased water from Mekorot 56
The OPTs, notably the West Bank, heavily complement their water
demands by purchasing water from Israel. Although the OPTs are thus
able to some extent bypass the Israeli restrictions on drilling new wells or
pumping from the wells, in the long run this becomes another tool of
pressure in the hands of Israel against the OPTs. As of 2016, the PWA
imported approximately 79 MCM water from Mekorot, for the future, in
the framework of the Red-Dead Sea conveyance project 57 , agreeing to

55
European Commission, 2018, Hope for Gaza: EU creates broad international coalition
to provide drinking water to 2 million people in Gaza. Brussels, Belgium,
https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/news_corner/news/hope-gaza-eu-
creates-broad-international-coalition-provide-drinking-water-2-million_en (accessed May
6, 2019).
56 Mekorot is the Israeli national water company since its foundation in 1937. The
government-owned corporation is mainly engaged in water management and desalination,
as well as it provides about 90% of Israeli drinking water.
57 The planned Red-Dead Sea Conveyance or the Two Seas Canal project is a water
pipeline connecting the Red Sea to the Dead Sea. The project aims at providing potable
water to Israel, the OPTs, and Jordan. The canal lies entirely in the territory of Jordan, and
the first phase of the construction of the canal will be launched in 2021.
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