The head of the Water Authority, Mazen Ghuneim , confirmed that the Israeli occupation, from the beginning, targeted water-rich areas, controlling about 95% of the water in the western aquifer and more than 70% of the eastern aquifer, and others.

This came during a lecture by Ghoneim, which targeted officers in the Military Training Authority for Security Forces in the city of Jericho, today, Tuesday, at the invitation of the head of the Military Training Authority, Major General Mahmoud Haroun, under the title "Towards a sustainable water sector for the present and future of our country."

Ghoneim referred to the water losses as a result of the occupation’s control and annexation of some of the main springs, such as: Al-Qilt, Al-Farah, Al-Auja, Fasayel, Al-Sakot, Ayoun Al-Maleh, Al-Hilweh Al-Fawqa and Al-Tahta, which constitutes a loss estimated at 10 to 15 million cubic meters annually, in addition to the constant threat to the springs located in The city of Jericho, which is considered the main source of drinking and agriculture, and the accompanying loss of the only outlet for water tourism, as well as its control over the Al-Fashkha springs, whose discharge rate ranges between 60-80 million m3/year.

Ghoneim said that the continuation of the Israeli occupation and its control over Palestinian water resources, and in light of environmental changes, requires continuous and accelerated work to develop the available and new water resources to meet water needs.

He touched on the challenges facing the water sector, which reflect negatively on achieving water security, foremost of which is the political challenge represented by the occupation's control of water resources, settlement expansion, as well as Israel's obstruction of projects in Area C, which constitutes more than 64% of the Palestinian territories.

He pointed to another group of challenges, such as the economic and institutional challenge, and the natural challenge represented by the high demand for water with the increase in population inflation, the effects of climate change and others, in addition to social and environmental challenges.