This policy paper entitled “Water Justice and Water Diplomacy in Jordan, Palestine, and Lebanon” provides an in-depth analysis of water justice and water diplomacy as multidimensional issues that transcend technical considerations to encompass complex political, human rights, and developmental dimensions. The paper is grounded in a central problem: the existence of profound structural inequalities in the distribution and governance of water resources, despite the international recognition of water as a fundamental human right. It argues that water scarcity in the region is not merely the result of natural constraints, but rather the outcome of intersecting factors, including weak governance systems, demographic pressures, climate change, and unequal control over transboundary water resources—particularly evident in the Palestinian context under occupation. The paper further highlights stark disparities in per capita water availability, access patterns, and consumption, alongside fragile infrastructure, weak enforcement of legal frameworks, and the politicization of water as a tool of control rather than a shared public good.

The paper concludes by identifying a set of critical challenges that hinder the realization of water justice, most notably the absence of integrated governance, weak regional cooperation, asymmetries of power in water agreements, declining water quality, accelerating climate change impacts, and persistent political constraints. In response, it advances a set of strategic policy recommendations focused on strengthening equitable water distribution; developing rights-based, international law–aligned diplomatic frameworks; improving water management efficiency and infrastructure; enhancing community participation in decision-making processes; and investing in climate adaptation and modern technologies. Ultimately, the paper underscores that achieving water justice in the region requires a fundamental shift from traditional, control-based water management approaches toward a cooperative model grounded in rights, transparency, and sustainability—ensuring long-term water security and regional stability.

Moayad Bsharat

To read the full Study: click here

This paper was originally published on: American Friends Service Committee