Saturday, June 21, 2008

This integration

"In fact, joint research and professional study by water professionals at universities, research centers and NGOs from Israel, Jordan and the PA has been a fixture for over 10 years. Yet most of these initiatives took place in parallel, unlike the most recent seminar, which was fully integrated. The fundamental need of water for life requires more of the latter, however. An integrated regional focus to solving the water crisis may even make the call for the heavy investment by Israel in desalination less pressing."

I have written before on the token joint research of university professors and NGOs from Jordan and Palestine with Israel. Mark my words: Israel will never be integrated in the region, water or no water. As for integrated regional plans for water, forget about them: they translate into "Now that Israel has forcibly appropriated the land of Palestine, lets give it legitimacy over the water of its neighbors too". And the only place that will make sense for Israel to "'integrate with" in terms of water is Lebanon. They've had views on Southern Lebanon waters at least since 1919. Somehow integration with South Lebanon really sounds like a non-starter, regardless of the number of Lebanese researchers and NGOs ready and willing to carry out joint programs.

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