Arab states eye more cooperation to boost Palestinian water supply

CAIRO, July 3 (KUNA) -- The Arab League on Sunday emphasized the need to bolster pan-regional cooperation as part of efforts to boost water supply across Palestinian territories, saying distribution networks now lie in tatters after years of Israeli bombardments.
The Cairo-based bloc has initiated a comprehensive study on the "state of water distribution networks" in the Gaza Strip," said Ambassador Saeed Abuali, the head of the Arab League's Palestinian and Occupied Arab territories department. Ensuring adequate water supply for the Palestinians is among their many inalienable rights, the diplomat told pan-Arab talks on the matter, saying the challenges facing them as a result of the Israelis' aggression go far beyond water services and proper sanitation. Echoing the envoy's remarks, Lebanon's Water and Energy Minister Walid Fayad said water shortages have exacerbated humanitarian conditions across Palestinian territories, stressing the need for urgent actions to push reconstruction efforts there. (end) mfm.nam