Israel Doubles Supply To Jordan

Israel has signed a formal agreement with Jordan to supply 50 million cubic meters of water per year, which doubles the amount already provided.

The transfer is viewed by some as reflecting an improvement in cross-border relations. Gidon Bromberg, Israel director of the regional environmental NGO, EcoPeace Middle East is reported as saying: “[This] reflects the growing understanding that the climate crisis already heavily impacting the region must lead to increased cooperation.”

The deal is consistent with the Israel’s new prime minister’s prioritization to strengthen ties with Jordan. Israel’s minister of infrastructure, energy and water resources, Karine Elharrar, commented: “we want good neighborly relations.”

Deployment of desalination technology in Israel has created additional capacity. The water will be sourced in the Sea of Galillee.

Jordan is an extremely dry country but the newly-sourced water is not welcomed by all. In November 2021 protesters rejected a water-for-energy agreement between Israel and Jordan on that grounds that this would lead to “normalization” of relations with Israel while it continues to occupy Palestine.

At the same time, the government of Jordan has indicated that any illegal wells near water networks could be expropriated whereas wells in remote areas would not be seized. Jordan’s minister of water and irrigation, Mohammed Al-Najjar also noted that water in the remote wells often does not conform to official minimum quality standards.