Watershed: The Role of Fresh Water in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

As a result of millenia-long cultural differences, the water problems in the Jordan River Basin are particularly complex. This book presents a thorough analysis of the water problem in the Basin, including the historical background, the environmental preconditions embodied in the local hydroclimate, the landscape topography and hydrogeography, and the problems of past water management. The book then reviews the three crises of water in Israel: the water quantity crisis, which is economic in character; the water quality crisis, which is ecological; and the geostrategic crisis, which is political. The analysis is largely limited to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but Syrian and Jordanian interests are also treated on occasion. Finally, the book discusses regional options for water management and the steps taken toward resolution of the water crises in light of recent peace agreements in the region.