The Left group in the European Parliament has tabled amendments to a draft report on transnational water governance for conflict prevention, proposing a fundamental reframing of the text to adopt a more confrontational, rights-based critique that explicitly identifies occupation and violations of international law as primary drivers of water conflict. The amendments, published on 10 June 2026, target the report's analysis of the Israeli-Palestinian context and Western Sahara, replacing neutral or cooperative language with direct accusations.
The most dramatic change is Amendment 3, which reclassifies the Gaza conflict by replacing the original phrase "the conflict between Israel and Hamas" with "the genocide perpetrated by Israel against Palestinians in Gaza." This legally and politically charged redefinition alters the report's premise regarding responsibility for the destruction of water infrastructure. Amendment 2 reverses the original's positive framing of the Joint Water Committee (JWC), replacing language about "supportive" mechanisms and "equitable distribution" with a critique citing World Bank assessments that the JWC has "impeded Palestinian water development" through "asymmetrical control" and "veto power." It explicitly calls on the EU to refrain from promoting such "structurally unbalanced mechanisms." Amendment 1 strengthens the link between water resource exploitation and the denial of self-determination in Western Sahara, stating that exploitation "without the consent of the people concerned undermines the right to self-determination."
The amendments, tabled exclusively by The Left group, diverge sharply from the original report's more balanced tone. Other major groups (EPP, S&D, Renew, Greens/EFA, ECR) did not table amendments, implicitly accepting the original text's diplomatic language, which refers to "the conflict between Israel and Hamas" and describes the JWC as a framework to be "relaunched" for "equitable water distribution."
Impact on stakeholders: The amendments, if adopted, would significantly affect EU foreign policy messaging by aligning the Parliament with a more critical stance on Israel and Western Sahara, potentially straining EU-Israel relations and complicating EU mediation efforts. For Palestinian and Sahrawi communities, the amendments could amplify their claims for water justice and self-determination. For EU member states with pro-Israel or pro-Morocco positions, the text would create diplomatic friction. For water governance practitioners, the rejection of the JWC as a model could undermine existing cooperative frameworks.
The report, drafted by rapporteur Leoluca Orlando (Greens/EFA), is scheduled for a plenary vote. The amendments will be debated and voted on in committee before the final plenary. The Council and Commission will consider the Parliament's position in their own work on water diplomacy.