A water deal between Israelis and Palestinians reached earlier this month will ease the chronic shortages that have threatened to become a public health risk for the Palestinian people, particularly for those in Gaza. Currently, 97 percent of the water flowing into the Gaza Strip is not safe for human consumption, and its quality is only worsening. EcoPeace Middle East (2009 Skolll Awardee) has toiled behind the scenes to get all parties to the table to reach this deal and continues to work tirelessly to restore the Jordan River.
“The biggest challenge that we face is the belief that there is no solution,” says Gidon Bromberg, co-founder of EcoPeace Middle East which works to align Jordanian, Palestinian, and Israeli environmentalists to preserve the environmental heritage of the region.
“It is important to remember however that while it will alleviate the dire water crisis that is affecting the lives of millions of Palestinians, this is a water sale,” said Gidon Bromberg. “It is not the new political agreement needed that we at EcoPeace believe will transform the lives of Palestinians and Israelis alike and significantly contribute to the peace process.”
