35. 'Awartani, H. Artisan Wells in the West Bank. Presented at the workshop on the water situation in the Occupied Territories. Jerusalem: 1991, 5 pp.

The paper describes the situation of wells in the West Bank. Wells provide 60% of the total water consumed in the West Bank. Israeli authorities claim that there are 364 wells in the West Bank, 326 of which are irrigation wells and 38 are for household consumption. However, the number of working wells may be much lower and may differ from year to year. Only 19 new wells were dug after the occupation of the West Bank by the Israeli forces. Thirty-three new wells were dug to meet Israeli needs in the West Bank. As a result of the large amounts of water pumped, water levels in the basin have fallen and the quality of water in the wells has deteriorated. Problems facing the Palestinians in fully utilizing the wells include lack of financial capabilities and denial of permits for repair of old wells by the Israeli authorities.