The water crisis in the West Bank has evolved beyond the scarcity of natural resources into a deeper crisis of access, distribution, and control. Since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, Palestinians in the West Bank have faced increasingly difficult conditions in securing safe drinking water, driven by intensified movement restrictions, military operations, damage to water infrastructure, disruptions to maintenance, and constraints on water resource development. These conditions have transformed the everyday mechanisms through which households obtain drinking water. In some communities, residents have become increasingly dependent on purchasing water delivered by tankers, storing water in household reservoirs, or seeking alternative sources during interruptions to public supply networks. Consequently, access to drinking water is no longer determined solely by the availability of household connections, but also by purchasing power, road accessibility, tanker mobility, and the operational continuity of wells and pumping stations. Rural, Bedouin, and geographically isolated communities face particularly severe challenges, where road closures or the disruption of a single water source can jeopardize essential household supplies.
Beyond its economic implications, this changing water landscape raises profound concerns regarding public health, environmental justice, and human security. Reduced water consumption and reliance on potentially unsafe sources increase exposure to waterborne diseases, while rising water costs disproportionately burden vulnerable households. This study conceptualizes the post-October 2023 transformation of water access in the West Bank as a crisis of water security, infrastructure resilience, and equitable resource governance. It highlights the urgent need to protect water infrastructure, ensure safe and uninterrupted access to water sources and distribution networks, strengthen water-quality monitoring, and promote affordable, sustainable alternatives. Ultimately, access to safe drinking water is not merely a technical service; it is a fundamental human right and an indispensable condition for public health, dignity, and Palestinian resilience.
Co-organised with GDI Students for Palestine and in memory of member Hamid Khalafallah, who passed away last April.
Bio:
Prof. Dr. Marwan Ghanem is a Professor of Hydrogeology and Chair of the Department of Geography and GeoInformatics at Birzeit University, Palestine. He holds a Ph.D. in Hydrogeology and Hydrochemistry from TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany.
Prof. Ghanem has extensive experience in both academic and research activities. Prior to joining the academic sector, he worked in the NGO sector, which provided him with practical experience in environmental management, water resources, and community-based development. His research and professional activities encompass water resources, food security, environmental management, and multidisciplinary projects at both national and international levels.
His scientific expertise covers surface water and groundwater systems, with particular emphasis on their quantitative and qualitative characteristics. His research includes hydrogeology, hydrochemistry, groundwater resources assessment and management, hydrology, water quality, environmental assessment, and the interactions between water, land, climate, and ecosystems.
