The Oslo Accords 

In 1993, Israeli and Palestinian leaders signed a Declaration of Principles in Oslo, now known as the Oslo Accords. This document set in place clear water use inequalities, as well as a way for water to be used as a weapon of war. It established a five-year period, from 1995 to 1999, in which the West Bank would receive 22 million cubic meters of water per year from Israel. The Declaration of Principles also created a Joint Water Committee (JWC) to manage the sewage and water related infrastructure in the West Bank. Additionally, Israel is granted the right to use 80% of the aquifer's resources, leaving only the remaining 20% for the Palestinians. In addition, Israel has no cap on how much of the overall water supply they may use, whilst Palestine is limited to 118 mcm. These provisions were set in place based on the population of each region at the time, intending them to be re-discussed in 1999. However, despite the population of the Palestinian region more than doubling since 1993, the provisions set by the Oslo Accord are still in place.

Although political conflict over water between Israel and Palestine will continue, it is possible to alleviate the situation by removing the strain on the region's few water sources. In order for this to happen, the region needs to rely less on the aquifers and find a way to use water more efficiently.