Wednesday July 12th 2006

      These communities are normally supplied with water from Qabatya well which is managed by the West Bank Water Department (WBWD). Diesel is normally used for operation of the groundwater well where the Palestinian Ministry of Finance pays for it to the WBWD.

      Since about three weeks, supply of water to the previously mentioned communities was completely stopped because of the unavailability of diesel; the Ministry of Finance is unable to pay the WBWD for the needed diesel for operating this groundwater well.

      The Palestinian area has been going through this financial crisis (i.e. unavailability of financial resources) since the beginning of this year, and consequences of this financial crisis started to be reflected in almost every aspect of life of the Palestinians including of course the WaSH sector. The situation is expected to be even worse in the coming period if no action was done by the International Community to stop this humanitarian crisis.

      These communities are only one sample of the suffering of the Palestinian communities in the WaSH sector. Since more than three weeks ago and until today, around 15,200 people are unable to get their share of domestic supply of water. This is expected to occur in other communities in the very near future.

      Interventions are needed to stop the very close Humanitarian crisis in the West Bank in addition to the current Humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.