A spatial decision-support framework for prioritizing domestic water security interventions in the West Bank, Palestine

Integrated GIS–AHP–MATLAB framework combines water poverty and rainwater harvesting suitability maps to identify priority domestic water security intervention zones across the West Bank. This study develops an integrated spatial decision-support framework to prioritize domestic water security interventions in the West Bank, Palestine, where water scarcity is intensified by environmental pressures and geopolitical constraints. The framework integrates spatial analysis, multicriteria decision-making, and computational robustness assessment to jointly evaluate domestic water poverty and the technical suitability of rainwater harvesting. Environmental, infrastructural, and socioeconomic indicators are synthesized to map current water security conditions and identify priority intervention areas. The results show that approximately 54% of the West Bank experiences high to very high levels of domestic water poverty, with the most severe conditions concentrated in southern governorates, particularly Hebron and Bethlehem. In contrast, northern and central regions exhibit strong rainwater harvesting potential, with more than 70% of the land in Jenin, Qalqiliya, and Nablus classified as highly suitable. The integrated analysis further reveals that about 35% of the territory represents priority zones where severe water poverty coincides with favorable harvesting potential. Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses demonstrate the stability of the framework. The study provides a practical and evidence-based tool to support targeted water planning, promote decentralized solutions, and enhance long-term water resilience.