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Summary:
Regional cooperation in halting continued overuse of scarce water resources has been a casualty of the long-running Arab-Israeli conflict. The Dead Sea has been a victim of this neglect, and scientists estimate that it will decrease substantially in the coming decades due to overexploitation of the Jordan River. One possible solution is to construct a canal from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea to pump sea water into the salt lake while generating hydroelectric power for use in desalination. The governments of Israel and Jordan have been enthusiastic proponents of the "Peace Canal," and are calling on the international community, including the United States, to support its multi-billion dollar construction. However, opponents of the canal claim that it may do more environmental harm than good and suggest that the Dead Sea be naturally restored by allowing the Jordan River to flow southward unimpeded. Water cooperation is an essential element of the peace process and, with the renewal of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, joint projects, such as the Red Sea-Dead Sea (Red-Dead) Canal, have been increasingly discussed. This report investigates the proposed Red-Dead Canal and analyzes its political significance and the debate surrounding its possible construction. It will be updated periodically. Overview. In 2008, the World Bank is planning to launch an 18-month comprehensive assessment of the so-called "Red-Dead" Canal, a joint Arab-Israeli project designed to save the shrinking Dead Sea using water from the Red Sea.1 The canal has been in the works for decades and is controversial. The Israeli and Jordanian governments are its staunch advocates, asserting that the only way to restore the Dead Sea's water level is to construct a 112-mile pipeline to transfer water northward from the Red Sea. Officials claim that this water, while descending 1,870 feet on its journey to the Dead Sea, would generate enough hydroelectricity to power desalination plants for producing fresh water. This water could then be delivered to cities in Israel, Jordan and parts of the West Bank.
