Policy papers and recommendations
/ Environmental Peacebuilding
This document examines the problem of waste in the Israeli-Palestinian space, and its cross-border ramifications. The paper begins with a definition of the theoretical framework of cross-border waste management, its features and benefits. This is followed by a presentation of a number of test cases from around the world to illustrate the theoretical framework. The paper ends with a review of waste management in the Israeli-Palestinian space, describing the existing situation and its challenges, and recommends changes in the waste treatment methods used, which suffer from numerous professional and political strategic failures, and the adoption of a number of alternative guiding principles. The paper proposes that waste management be viewed as a shared cross-border mission: treating waste as a resource with economic and social value, and building on “circular economy” models to achieve its sustainable management, while gradually moving towards joint management of the Israeli-Palestinian space whereby, in addition to a national strategy for waste management, the parties agree on incentives, regulations, infrastructure and supervision that are jointly managed. The proposal is to build mechanisms and divide powers between the parties in a way that strengthens the sovereignty of each, and lays the foundation for trust and a political settlement between the parties. Finally the paper recommends reference to international regulations and institutions to support the process of transition to a circular economy and cooperation between the parties.
