Speaker
Description
Water scarcity in conflict zones presents not only a humanitarian crisis but a complex governance challenge shaped by layered geopolitical, institutional, and environmental dynamics. This study explores how geopolitical factors, particularly within the context of prolonged occupation and political instability, affect water supply management in Area C of the southern West Bank, Palestine. While much attention has been paid to physical water scarcity, this paper focuses on the systemic socio-political disruptions that constrain access, infrastructure, and governance mechanisms critical to sustainable water service delivery.
Drawing on a socio-ecological systems (SES) framework, this research distinguishes between direct and indirect impacts of conflict on water resource management. Direct impacts include physical damage to infrastructure, disruptions in project implementation, and limitations on mobility and service delivery due to military actions. Indirect impacts involve constraints on funding, institutional fragmentation, bureaucratic delays, and the shrinking of humanitarian and governance space at both national and local levels. The analysis is informed by case studies from Susya and Masafer Yatta, combining qualitative interviews, field observations, and policy document reviews collected between 2018 and 2019. These areas are emblematic of broader conditions across Area C, where over 70% of communities lack access to basic water infrastructure and rely heavily on water trucking at exorbitant costs. Findings reveal that Israeli military restrictions, demolition orders, and settlement expansion severely undermine Palestinian-led water projects. Furthermore, limited cooperation among Palestinian authorities, municipalities, and NGOs creates internal governance challenges that impede the implementation of sustainable solutions. Despite this, localized coping strategies, including coupon systems, community-based delivery networks, and risk-mitigation planning by NGOs, have enabled temporary relief and resilience under crisis conditions. This paper contributes new empirical insights into the intersections of conflict, governance, and environmental sustainability in politically fragile regions. It calls for more coordinated action among donors, state institutions, and civil society actors to uphold water as a fundamental human right. The findings underscore the urgent need for integrated and conflict-sensitive water governance frameworks that can adapt to prolonged uncertainty while prioritizing equity, accessibility, and local agency.
Keywords: Water Governance, Conflict-Affected Areas, Geopolitics of Water, Area C – West Bank, Water Insecurity and Resilience
