Israel to Approve Red Sea-Dead Sea Pipeline Project, Bringing Fresh Water to Millions

• Jordan and Israel will each pledge $40 million USD a year for 25 years
• It’s a total of $2 billion USD for the project
• The project will provide fresh water to Jordan

Regional Cooperation Minister Tzachi Hanegbi said Israel will likely approve the Red Sea-Dead Sea Project with Jordan, according to a report in Bloomberg News.

“This is important for regional cooperation,” Hanegbi said in a phone interview with Bloomberg News. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was convinced that peace has a price, and he agreed to it.”

The Red Sea-Dead Sea Project has been in talks since the early 2000s. The ultimate result would be a pipeline connecting the Red Sea port of Aqaba to an area by the south-eastern coast of the Dead Sea, both within Jordanian territory. The project will provide drinking water to Jordan, and Palestinians will be able to buy desalinated water from the Jordanians.

So, what does this pipeline do for Israel? Jordan has severe water issues, and Israel wants to maintain Jordan’s stability. Israel also shares its longest boarder with Jordan.

Here’s what the pipeline project would include:

• Brine from the desalinization process will be poured into the Dead Sea, which has been receding at the rate of one meter annually
• A hydroelectric plant will be constructed to provide power to both Israel and Jordan

This pipeline would bring lifesaving, fresh water to the region and serve as a political touchstone. This would be the largest joint project in the Middle East between Israel and an Arab state. The initiative has been delayed for years because of the political tensions between the two countries.

To keep up on pipeline related news, check the Submar blog regularly.