Specifically, the Oslo Accords called for the creation of a Joint Water Committee (JWC) during an interim period before the final status negotiations, comprised of equal number of members from Israel and the Palestinian Authority, whose functions would include the coordinated management of water resources and water and sewage systems in the West Bank.3 Oslo II, Article 40 on water and sewage recognized Palestinian water rights in the West Bank and the need to develop additional water supply.
Research on environmental peacebuilding has found that the inclusion of natural resources such as water in a peace agreement, combined with the creation of a joint management institution, can help build trust among former adversaries and provide a formal institutional structure for addressing water shortages.4 Joint management institutions like the JWC can facilitate the sharing of information about water resources and encourage donor activity in the water sector to bolster the peace process. Both the US and European countries have supported collaborative projects to share data and undertake joint scientific research, alongside providing foreign assistance for water and sanitation projects in the Palestinian territories.
A 2009 World Bank report on Palestinian water sector development concluded that "by regional standards, Palestinians have the lowest access to fresh water resources. Protracted conflict between Israel and Hamas (that has ruled Gaza since 2007) has led to a deterioration in Gaza’s water supply.