Are the Water Conflicts Between Israel and Her Neighbors on the Jordan River an Obstacle to Peace?
Today’s seminar will discuss water utilization as an obstacle to peace in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. You will know this region, as it is continually in upheaval due to an endless array of political and socio-economic problems. The area has a hot and dry climate. It consists of the dry Mediterranean coast that extends to steppe and dry upland forest, before grading off into semi-arid desert and desert. Rainfall through most of the region is less than 250 mm per annum, with a small highland area having a higher precipitation of 1000 mm per annum. This can be compared to the Massachusetts average annual precipitation (1985-2000) of approximately 1080 mm (Referenced online at http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov, 2/12/01). Originating from Mount Hermon in Syria and Lebanon, the Jordan River flows from south through Israel and into Jordan. At over 358 kilometers in length, with an average gradient of 0.58 m/km, the worlds lowest river is described as shallow with a
