CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VIII (2) ContEurVIII2 | Page 101
SHOGHIK TADEVOSYAN
increase the import to 32 MCM, and later on another 34 MCM. Overall,
the PWA is obliged to purchase about 145 MCM of water from Mekorot.
Indeed, the PWA, unable to pay for this purchased water,
accumulates large amounts of debt to Mekorot. According to the World
Bank, in 2017, the amount of debt was 335 million USD, which Israel
deducts from the taxes collected from the Palestinians on behalf of the
PA. Furthermore, the amount of this deduction from taxes has increased
by 10%as of 2017. 58
Hydro-hegemony in the Israeli-Palestinian Shared Water
Resources
As already noted in the conceptual framework of hydro-hegemony,
the asymmetrical power distribution is a decisive factor to interpret
Israel’s established supremacy over the Palestinians in all spheres.
Additionally, as it can be seen from the above discussion, the established
‘order of things’ between two parties is the result of continuous efforts of
one side to increase its supremacy over the other. Thus, Israeli-
Palestinian mutual relations over the shared water resources, both surface
water and groundwater resources, and the maintenance of that rule for a
long time, may conform to the framework of hydro-hegemony. It should
be noted that the lingering water issue constantly exacerbates the conflict
between them and the lack of compromise over this issue leads to a
stalemate. In this case, understanding the asymmetry of power is
essential.
Relative hard power asymmetry
First of all, it should be noted that the asymmetry of power in
Israeli-Palestinian relations is clearly seen in the economic sector.
Comparing the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of the two
countries in 2017, which is the latest data available for both Israel, the
West bank and Gaza, it can be seen that Israel dominates Palestine. In
2017, Israel’s GDP per capita was 40.270 US dollars, 59 while the West
Bank and Gaza’s GDP per capita was about 3.094 US dollars. 60
Israel’s supremacy is also evident in its military, which is
composed of well-trained personnel and is also larger than the Palestinian
58 World
Bank, 2018. Securing Water for Development in West Bank and Gaza: 4-5.
World Bank, 2017. GDP per capita of Israel,
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD?locations=IL (accessed May 11, 2019).
60 World Bank, 2017. GDP per capita of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip,
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD?locations=PS (accessed May 11, 2019).
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