Published: 28 February, 2009, 11:41
Edited: 28 February, 2009, 11:41
One of the key areas of today’s political world is the Middle East. To the West, oil is a very important aspect, and thus peace in the Middle East means relatively low prices for oil. However, this article is not about the oil or the relationship between the West and the Middle East, but rather about the intricacies of the conflict going on between Israel and its neighbors, and what lies at the essence of the numerous wars that have torn through the region in recent decades. After all, Israel seems to really tick off many of its neighbors.
Looking at the map of Israel and its neighbors, it is important to note a few things that people take for granted when looking at the map and don’t necessarily pay attention to. It is the location of water sources and the vitality of it regarding the existence of the countries located near it. What strikes one even more when looking at the map like this, is that there is only one true source of fresh water for Israel and many of its neighbors – the Jordan River. Considering that water is scarce in the region, nations located around the river have historically gone to war in order to secure the flow of water to their populations. Even in the Old Testament, many stories are about the Jews fighting for the Jordan River Valley.
Needless to say, water is the main focus of many wars in the region. At essence of the rivalry between the Jews and the Muslims is the control of the water sources, which is vital to survival of any nation located in a desert environment. To quote the former prime minister of Israel Moshe Sharett, “Water for Israel is not a luxury. It is not just a desirable and helpful addition to our [Israeli] natural resources. Water is life itself.” And so, to sustain its life, Israel has built up a strong military to assert not only its dominance in region to counter any insurgency, but to dominate the water resources of the Jordan River.
Israel’s military has taken over many areas in order to secure water for themselves and to make sure that no hostile neighbor will have control over its water supply. The West Bank, for example, is a highly strategic area for Tel Aviv because it allows for control of nearly half of the river. The Golan Heights, an area that was taken from Syria as a result of the Six-Day War, is the key to controlling the headwaters of the Jordan River, thus securing the flow. Israel also built a National Water Carrier, which redirects water from the river to the eastern part of Israel. Israel’s control of most of the Jordan River is reason enough for the Syrians, the Lebanese, and the Jordanians to be extremely frustrated with Tel Aviv, which takes most of the water for its irrigation, drinking, sanitation, and other needs. Another area to note is that West Bank is where the Palestinian Authority is located. Not being able to control the water for the benefit of their fellow Muslims only upsets the Palestinians more, in addition to already being extremely irate over the fact that they are virtually powerless against Israel using their territory to pump water for itself.
Finally, the Israeli Water Administration has recently stated that Israel is experiencing the worst water crisis in 80 years due to low rainfall and growing demand from within. The Jordan River does not have nearly enough water to fully supply Israel’s population, let alone its neighbors that receive a fraction of the water that Israel gets. This could be a prime cause for another conflict brewing, because when people become desperate, they resort to desperate measures. Israel is already importing water from Turkey. Nevertheless, Turkey is not the friendliest of nations to Israel, and after recent events in Gaza, Turkey is not too fond of helping out the Jewish State.
To sum up, water is a lifeline for many nations in the Middle East. Control of the headwaters and its main distribution is the key to dominance in the region. Today, when looking into the events going on in and around Israel, one of the reasons that may indicate a potential conflict between Tel Aviv and its neighbors, is water shortage and the approach of all sides involved in the problem at hand.