Abstract
In 1995, an interim agreement between Israel and the Palestinians was signed in Washington. As implied by its title, it was supposed to be an interim agreement that would pave the path toward the Permanent Status Settlement. The Permanent Status Settlement, in fact, was to have been signed by 2000. Sadly, 15 years later, there is no sign of a permanent agreement. An unfortunate chain of events and harsh political climate diverted the implementation of this agreement from its original goals. However, regardless of its background, the agreement still stands. This chapter will present Israeli perceptions regarding the implementation of one of the important chapters of the interim agreement: "Article 40: Water and Sewage." The first section will briefly present the most significant principles of Article 40 according to Israeli perceptions, along with initial expectations regarding their implementation. The second section will present the status of implementation of these principles. First, the main problems associated with the implementation will be presented, followed by important achievements. The last section will present lessons and recommendations based on the experience of implementing the interim agreement. This essay is based on interviews with Israeli key actors in the design and implementation of the interim agreement.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Water Wisdom |
Subtitle of host publication | Preparing the Groundwork for Cooperative and Sustainable Water Management in the Middle East |
Publisher | Rutgers University Press |
Pages | 49-61 |
Number of pages | 13 |
ISBN (Print) | 9780813547701 |
State | Published - 2010 |