Effort to Save Dead Sea Gives Life to Regional Cooperation

In a rare example of cooperation among Mideast states-in-conflict, a Jordanian official confirmed that a joint project between Jordan, Israel and the Palestinians to save the Dead Sea is continuing. The head of Jordan’s side of the Jordan-Israel Joint Water Committee told a conference in Israel that his country sees the project as a vital step in preserving its water supply. The project is a plan to dig a canal linking the Red Sea to the Dead Sea, providing potable water to the three nation-partners. The Dead Sea, whose level has been sinking significantly for years and is feared to be nearing a critical stage, would also benefit from the project. Red Sea water from a Jordanian desalination plant would be channeled to the benefit of Israel’s southern desert region, the salt being channeled to the Dead Sea. Israel, in turn, would send water from its primary reservoir, the Sea of Galilee, for Jordanian and Palestinian use.