Report: Civil Administration allows illegal water drilling in WB
State informs Supreme Court it has no intention of foiling Palestinians' illegal drilling for water in West Bank. In case enforcement of illegal drilling occurs, 30-day notice be given, Civil Administration states
Prior to the release of the comptroller's report, West Bank Palestinians urged the Supreme Court to reexamine the issue of water drilling in the region, seeing as if the Civil Administration kept them from drilling they would essentially be left without water.
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The State requested that the Palestinians' motion be stricken, seeing as the administration had no intention of leaving the residents without water. Moreover, if the administration did decide to stop the drilling, an administration statement said, 30-day notices would be given to the Palestinians, so that they could take the matter back to the court.
Water theft in West Bank (Photo: Judea and Samaria Rescue Forces)
The State's response to the Palestinians was filed to the court on the same day the State's Comptroller's report was released, leveling harsh criticism on the lack of enforcement regarding illegal water drilling in the West Bank.
According to the Regavim organization, which monitors Palestinian construction in the West Bank, "The Civil Administration's lack of enforcement when it comes to the issue of water is a small aspect of a general policy of lack of enforcement of Palestinian activity. Unfortunately, despite the harsh report, the Civil Administration is not working to change the policy of inaction toward Palestinian delinquency. We hope this will change soon and that we don’t come across similar instances again."
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