Increase of water availability and access in areas vulnerable to drought in the West Bank

Given that this was predominantly a research project, specific beneficiary numbers to be assisted by the project were not established. Instead, beneficiaries were broadly classified as communities (or clusters) situated in vulnerable areas of the West Bank. The planned area of intervention extended from the south-western and southern parts of the Hebron Governorate, north along the western slopes of the Hebron Governorate, through the Jericho region and into the Jordan Valley.

The project area was subdivided as follows:

• front line cluster in the south-western Hebron Governorate from Beit Awwa to Ar Ramadin, which is a relatively urbanized area with a low percentage of households depending on the small ruminant economy;
• 317 cluster in the southern Hebron Governorate, including a number of hamlets located between the settler road number 317, the separation barrier and the southern settlements;
• Masafer Yatta cluster south-west of Yatta, which includes scattered hamlets, all located in an Israeli military area;
• Eastern slopes cluster, which runs mostly through Israeli military areas or nature reserved areas in the Hebron and Bethlehem governorates, a large, low-density, arid area that reaches the Dead Sea and inhabited by Bedouin communities; and 
• Jericho region, characterized by restricted access and movement, owing to a high concentration of settlements and settler roads and inhabited by Bedouins in scattered villages.

• a comprehensive analysis of water demand and availability through an updated database of water resources using geographic information systems (GIS);
• a comprehensive feasibility study of potential interventions to be carried out in the medium and longer term;
• an interactive plan of action to alleviate transport costs and difficulties in accessing water;
• strengthening of institutional management to cope with the continuing crisis; and
• implementation of pilot activities as a response to the emergency situation.

Following consultation between Gruppo di Volontariato Civile (GVC) and FAO, two quick impact interventions were identified: rehabilitation of rain water cisterns in Masafer Yatta cluster; and distribution of water tankers among Bedouin communities in Jericho cluster.