The Potential for Environmental Peace-building: Water as a Bridge or Obstacle to Peace in the Middle East

Moderator: Irena Kalhousová

Panelists: Hasan Abu Nimah, Natasha Carmi-Hanna, Oded Fixler

 

 

 

Moderator Irena Kalhousová welcomed three distinguished experts, Jordanian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Hasan Abu Nimah, Palestinian Policy Advisor on Water and Environment Natasha Carmi-Hanna and Israeli representative from Israeli Water and Sewage Authority Oded Fixler.

 

Ambassador Abu Nimah believed that water is both a bridge and an obstacle towards peace in the Middle East, comparing the water problem to that of religion, “both water and religion depend on general political atmosphere”. The Jordanian representative expressed his fears that any future war between countries in the Middle East will be a war over water. He mentioned that Jordan and Israel had started to cooperate on water scarcity issues even before both countries formally signed the peace treaty in 1994 and expressed his faith in the possibility of resolving such a core issue in the Middle East. Nevertheless, the ambassador acknowledged that 19 years had passed since the commencement of the Madrid peace process and that little had been resolved in this problematic area. This is a major concern, especially for Jordan, which is experiencing a disturbing water scarcity crisis.

 

Palestinian representative Natasha Carmi-Hanna viewed the water scarcity problem not only in technical terms, but in political ones. She suggested that the micro-solution to the problem lies in the political solution between the Palestinians and the Israelis. Carmi-Hanna saw water sharing as a major problem and criticized the fact that Israel uses a disproportionate amount of water compared with the Palestinians. She recommended that both Israel and Palestine should share water equably, and work as true partners, which would encourage consensus building. She was concerned about the water quality situation in Gaza, where immediate steps are required. She concluded her opening speech by saying that a solution to the water conflict was possible and that water should be used as a vehicle for peace.

 

Israeli representative Oded Fixler stressed the importance of water in the region and added that climate change will put even more pressure on water resources. He pointed out that lowering replenishment and seven years of ongoing drought has heightened the pressure. Mr. Fixler considered that only cooperation between all sides would allow solutions and added that Israel is already doing its part when supplying water to neighboring regions. As an example, Oded Fixler mentioned the quantity of water which Israel supplies to Jordan. As a technical expert, Fixler saw the future of managing water resources in a sustainable way, mentioning desalination plants, more efficient agriculture and improving the water infrastructure to limit leakage. He concluded that cooperation is absolutely crucial and mentioned the Red-Dead project as one of the examples of such cooperation.