Agents of the IDF Civil Administration have confiscated tens of thousands of kilometers of water piping from Arabs who have been stealing Israeli water. The raid took place in the Chevron Hills area, bringing an end, at least temporarily, to Arabs stealing Jewish water in the region.

Officials admit the raid was a success, but it does not represent a significant change in reality, confirming the residents of PA (Palestinian Authority) autonomous areas routinely steal Israeli water. This was one of the major concerns of opponents of the 1993 Oslo Agreement, warning the granting of autonomy to Yasser Arafat would enable Arabs to tap into Israeli water sources, resulting in the theft and at times, contamination of the Israeli water sources.

This is a major concern still today as Prime Minister Ehud Olmert speaks of giving away more land to the PA, which would result in handing over control of additional aquifers to the PA should Israel withdraw from areas of Yehuda and Shomron.

Police confirm a steady increase in the amount of water being stolen by the Arabs during recent years, yet little is done to halt the alarming trend.

Experts have warned over recent years that the major regional wars in the coming years will surround water rights, not land or other issues, as the Kinneret and other water sources steadily decline.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)