Water A Factor For Conflict Or Peace In The Middle East

Will the flames of war in the Middle East be fanned or quenched by water? This is the central question addressed by this unusually forthright book. The book provides sobering analyses of Israel's water predicament and of the hydro-political implications for the country, particularly in the light of recent developments in the 'peace process'.

The volume serves as an important mile-stone in the process called "second track" dialogue and cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian academics on crucial shared problems, the resolution of which is vital to the peace process. The book contains forty-one original papers dealing with almost all aspects of the Middle-Eastern water problems, and should serve as a useful reference to students, scholars and policy makers all over the world interested in understanding the complexities of the Middle-Eastern water conflicts.

The Middle East is a region of international concern and political unrest. This book forms a complete reference to both the hydrological as well as the social, economic, political and legal issues in the region and shows how water shortages threaten the renewal of military conflicts and disruption in the area. With resources over-extended due to natural and human causes, the book analyses the river basins of the Euphrates, Tigris, Nile and Jordan and provides detailed study of the hydrology, hydrography and geography of these river basins; it also analyses the needs of the economies and societies of the countries bordering these basins. Conclusions on likely areas of conflict are set within the legal framework of the Helsinki and International Law Commission Rules.

This book proposes practical and objective solutions to the entrenched water conflicts in the Middle East. The author reveals and clarifies the complexity of the water conflicts, drawing on years of experience facilitating and chairing water negotiations in the region. The bottom line is: Unless the countries involved co-operate, the consequences will be devastating. The lack of plentiful and clean water for the people will not only result in severe human suffering, but could also have grave geopolitical consequences. The book covers four critical areas: the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers, where new documentation reveals alarming trends; the politically sensitive Golan Heights, with its water disputed by Israel and Syria; the Hasbani water dispute between Lebanon and Israel; the longstanding water resource dispute between the Israelis and Palestinians

Water is the most precious resource in the Middle East, with water ownership, management and use among the most difficult and serious problems. The basic issue is two-dimensional; increasing scarcity of water exacerbates inter-state disputes while at the same time, governments face increasing internal demands from various sectors. Geographic reality and issues of politics, culture, religion and tradition complicate an already difficult situation. Competition for non-saline water factors into many regional political controversies as well. As regional domestic, agricultural and industrial water demands grow, finite supplies are pushed to the limit, contributing to a variety of environmental distresses and increasing the potential for regional tensions. Morris argues that the resolution of existing and potential water conflicts will depend on the three critical factors - the management of population growth and distribution, interstate cooperation on international water systems, and the reduction of regional political tensions that impede cooperative efforts. While water conflicts may not cause wars, they may prevent an enduring peace and put at risk a secure future for the inhabitants of the Middle East.

This book presents various approaches to the resolution of the severe water resource issues of the Middle East, with particular emphasis on the Israeli-Palestinian water conflicts. The authors include leading Palestinian and Israeli water experts who have worked together on joint research projects aimed at building up mutual understanding and respect. The studies consider the various approaches that could be used to improve cooperation and solve the problems arising from conflicting interests.

The aim of this study is to provide some innovative technological answers to the fundamental questions of how to sustain the water supply - now and for the future. The author evaluates several non-conventional approaches that have the potential to resolve this persistent problem, and thus contribute towards peace among the water users in the Middle East.

The scarcity and rapid depletion of water in one of the world's driest regions continues to be a major determinant of the domestic and external policies of the major actors in the Middle East. Israel, Jordan, and the West Bank will have exhausted virtually all their renewable sources of fresh water by 1995 if current patterns of consumption are not radically altered. This study examines the hydrological, historical, legal, and strategic dimensions of water problems in the Middle East and discusses their implications for the future.