Socioeconomic and environmental impacts of the Israeli Separation Wall

Abstract

The physical construction of the Separation Wall is new, but the philosophy or purpose behind the Wall is not. The Wall’s first phase has a multidimensional impact which works to ensure Israeli domination over natural resources; both water and land. The overarching category that highlights the significance of water in the first phase is twofold. First, the location of the Wall’s first phase and its path above the best Palestinian potential abstraction areas of the Western Aquifer reflects Israel’s goal to complete its control over the richest groundwater sources in Palestine. Second, as water is crucial to a sustainable future Palestinian state, Israel’s overall control on water resources consistent with its water policies will lead to further impoverishment, landlessness and existential and national threat to Palestine.

Keywords:

• Separation Wall
• Water policy
• Water conflict