The objective is to gain insight into the causes and resolutions of these disputes, and to learn how similar situations can be effectively managed in the future. The united nations recognizes that water disputes result from opposing interests of water users, public or private. Anup shah, the middle east conflicta brief background, global issues, updated. Water issues are multifaceted and will continue to affect the political stability of the middle east and north africa, if not addressed. Get your free copy here the middle east occupies a unique geographical and strategic position. M ore than any other region, the middle east and north africa mena is plagued by instability and conflict.
This book demonstrates hope, optimism and the belief that people with good will can help contribute to peace. Wolf because of water s preeminent role in survival, political conflicts over international water resources tend to be particularly contentious. There have been instances of local and tribal water conflicts going back decades, though more so before the 1970s. Middle east water conflicts and directions for conflict resolution. Water security in the protracted crises and postcon. The middle east and north africa mena already the most water stressed region in the world, faces a worsening crisis in terms of its access to water in the decades to come a. Desalination plants are an overuse of water resources in the middle east. The challenges of water security have a great human costs and a much larger impact on the middle east. Water conflicts in the middle east despite its notable lack of resources, water has rarely formed the basis for conflict throughout the middle east, or so argues hannu juusola. Box 1101 amman 11947 amman jordan abstract this study aims at shedding light on the most important challenges of water in the middle east, especially 90%. The final policy brief of the european union research project climate change, hydroconflicts and human security clico presents the results of three years of research in the mediterranean, the middle east, and the sahel mmes. A number of water conflicts involving a third party in the middle east were recently studied. Water ownership, management, and use are among the most critical problems confronting the modern middle east. This is a list of modern conflicts in the middle east ensuing in the geographic and political region known as the middle east.
Climate change, water conflicts and human security in the. Water is an environmental issue because excessive withdrawal of water from rivers and aquifers and pollution of water result in lower water tables, lower river flows, shrinking lakes, losses of wetlands. The intensity of a water conflict can be exacerbated by a regions geographical, geopolitical, or hydropolitical landscape. Modern history has shown that even as water supplies in the middle east are limited, unequal use and overuse of water resources by israel has hindered development and peace between israel and palestine, as well. With all the religious groups and ethnic groups all packed together there is a lot of conflicts between nations. Water as a source of regional cooperation in the middle east. Water conflict in the middle east and north africa wikipedia.
To some extent, this is uue of the study of religion and ethnic conflict in the middle east. With the symposium on water of the middle east and north africa. Transboundary water conflicts in the middle east and north africa. Strategic investigations of water conflicts in the middle east. Modern history has shown that even as water supplies in the middle east are limited, unequal use and overuse of water resources by israel has hindered development and peace between israel and palestine, as well as in the region as a whole. As the most waterscarce region in the world, the mena also has one of the highest population growth rates in the world and demand for water in the agricultural, domestic and industrial sectors has risen beyond what can be sustainably supplied. However, water conflicts arise for several reasons, including territorial disputes, a fight for resources, and strategic advantage. And due to the misusage of the available water sources by the states of the. The water problem and water projects in the middle east 51. Due to the great increase of population in the middle east and lack of this region to the satisfactory water sources to fulfill its increasing needs of water.
Jul 30, 2006 the frustration and injustice of the treatment of palestinians has angered many citizens in the arab world against usisraeli policies. It can also help prevent violent conflict over water and help build sustainable peace. For various reasons, the middle east has been frequently cited as a potential arena of water wars. Water resources in the middle east are scarce by nature, and most of. A historical water conflict along the euphrates river in the middle east is investigated and analyzed using the inverse approach to the graph model for conflict resolution gmcr. Aug 31, 2017 the middle east and north africa mena already the most water stressed region in the world, faces a worsening crisis in terms of its access to water in the decades to come a country is water. Water scarcity in the middle east raises the risk of conflict between countries in the region. Yet in the current fighting in iraq, the major dams on the tigris and euphrates rivers are seen not just as strategic targets but as powerful weapons of war. The good water neighbors project, established in 2001, has brought together israeli, jordanian. Bulloch and darwishs water wars does not greatly help in the study of water in the middle east. The most powerful countries in the region iran and turkey have built hundreds of dams in recent decades to meet their water needs. Pdf middle east water conflicts and directions for conflict resolution.
Aquastat faos global information system on water and. Pdf religious armed conflict and discrimination in the. Water scarcity is an important factor in many disputes in the middle east, and as scarcity increases, so will competition. Economically, the middle east is known for its vast oil reserves. This document 1 explores the relationship between water, conflict, and cooperation, 2 highlights lessons learned from relevant development and peacebuilding programs, 3 discusses options for programming based on past usaid and development. List of modern conflicts in the middle east wikipedia. The controversy over water in the middle east and the world 11. Water shortage is a salient issue in the middle east commonly overshadowed by more sensational topics such as the oil crisis and the arabisraeli conflict.
But conflicts are still determined by deep political differences. The middle east has always had a rich abundance of natural resources, although which resources are coveted and valued has changed over time. The most powerful countries in the region iran and turkey have built hundreds of. Hence, it is not a coincidence that every great power in history has sought to advance its interests in the region. A worsening water crisis in north africa and the middle east. The focus of the conflict is regime change, but the triggers include a broad set of religious and sociopolitical factors, the erosion of the economic health of the country, a wave of political reform sweeping over the middle east and north africa mena and levant region, and challenges. Historically, two major middle eastern water conflicts are the israeli national water carrier situation with israel and palestinians and. Water is the most important resource in the middle east chapter 1. Water, drought, climate change, and conflict in syria. A source of conflict of coopeariton in the middle east. We have organized workshops on lessons from regional water disputes in the middle east, central asia, and latin america. Israelpalestinian water issues from conflict to cooperation leading palestinian, israeli and international water experts document the importance of mutual understanding, respect and amity among peoples during a difficult period of stress. Golda meir 18981978 meir was born in kiev, russia, but grew up in the american heartland. Water has grown to be a key player in many political conflicts in the middle east and north africa.
Coming conflicts in the middle east middle east policy. The middle east region has been grouped into four subregions, based on geographical and climatic homogeneity, which has a direct influence on irrigation. Come browse our large digital warehouse of free sample essays. Despite the rhetoric, there is little evidence that water has caused armed conflict in the region. Box 1101 amman 11947 amman jordan abstract this study aims at shedding light on the most important. The middle east is traditionally defined as the fertile crescent mesopotamia, levant, and egypt and neighboring areas of arabia, anatolia and iran. The devastating civil war that began in syria in march 2011 is the result of complex interrelated factors. The final policy brief of the european union research project climate change, hydro conflicts and human security clico presents the results of three years of research in the mediterranean, the middle east, and the sahel mmes. Bethlehem west bank, palestine table of contents introduction the hydrogeological setting elements of the arab israeli water disputes water and peace some practical suggestions references.
Of those, practically all were over the jordan river and its tributaries, which supply millions of people with water for drinking, bathing, and farming amery, 2002. There are about 60 terrorist groups that have been found in the middle east. Palestinian frustration has spilled into extremism in some cases as well. The water conflicts in the middle east from a palestinian perspective applied research institutejerusalem caritas st. The case studies emphasize the effects of thirdparty intervention in bringing about a more desired. Countries in the middle east face the risk of war as they have avoided regional cooperation for too long. Second, the issue of islams role in generating conflict has become especially con. Water is at the core of sustaining all life on earth, and the people who have inhabited the arid and semiarid lands of the. Throughout the middle east, people are suffering from severe water. The involvement of the ussr in middle eastern political affairs was seen to have had a constraining effect upon this process, in terms of claims and recognition in the cold war era.
Because of its economic, religious, and geographical location, the middle east has been at the center of many world issues and political affairs. Water conflict in the middle east international journal of. Ghazi ismail rababaa head department of political science international islamic university of science p. This report by the middle east institute argues that water scarcity is not just a natural scientific problem, but a political issue, which will lead to water wars. The database, updated in january 2019, presents the information as a chronology and map. Get the knowledge you need in order to pass your classes and more. The politics of water water and conflict in the middle east.
Sep 02, 2016 m ore than any other region, the middle east and north africa mena is plagued by instability and conflict. Middle east water conflicts and directions for conflict resolution aaron t. Indeed, many authors note that water was a major cause of the 1967 war between israel and its arab neighbours. There are many citizens in danger with all the guns and missiles being shot and launch all over the idle east. Meir would spend more than a decade in the united states before moving. Transboundary water conflicts, water policy 8, pages 435. As climate change places additional strains on water security, however, conflict over water could increase in likelihood. Water conflict is a term describing a conflict between countries, states, or groups over an access to water resources. Conflict has traditionally been caused by political, military, ethnic and religious issues, but, in an increasingly complex world, potential causes of insecurity have widened and diversified considerably. The enormous growth in the number of dams is a symptom of this.
In an ongoing effort to understand the connections between water resources, water systems, and international security and conflict, the pacific institute initiated a project in the late 1980s to track and categorize events related to water and conflict, which has been continuously updated since. All three conflicts involve turkey, the upstream country of both the euphrates and. This is an excerpt from conflict and diplomacy in the middle east. The middle east conflicta brief background global issues. Jan, 20 comprehensive strategic analyses are carried out for three connected water conflicts that occurred along the euphrates river in 1975, 1990, and 1998. Has your country had any conflicts military or political with the other two countries attending the summit.
Although a skilled carpenter, meirs father could not find enough work in kiev. United states foreign policy in the middle east after the cold war jonathan cristol 48 4. Alternatively, copypaste the following mla citation format for this page. Resources, protection and management in frankfurt on november 25 and 26, 2002 a platform was created, which enabled participants scientists and politicians from twelve countries to discuss the water. It currently encompasses the area from egypt, turkey and cyprus in the west to iran and the persian gulf in the east. War list of middle eastern conflicts this list currently covers middle eastern wars and conflicts from the 1948 arabisraeli war to the present, along with other conflicts involving middle eastern nations. Water security research centre school of internl development. The legalinstitutional issues involved in the solution of water conflicts in the middle east. However, hydrological matters undeniably represent an additional dimension to the arabisraeli conflict. Water and peace in the middle east, volume 58 1st edition. In this regard, water politics in the middle east has been impacted by changes in the international political order and their implications for the area. So he sold his tools and other belongings and moved his family to milwaukee, wisconsin.
These water problems have become interwoven with deep. Middle east water conflicts and directions for conflict. Pdf in looking toward 2020, one of the most severe problems to be faced is an impending shortage of adequate supplies of fresh water essential for. A scramble for water resources is under way in the middle east the water resources of middle east bring life and economic prosperity to the communities they pass by in the advanced industrial countries of the northern hemisphere water resources are so.
This water crisis is not limited to the jordan basin, but extends throughout the middle east, en compassing also the watersheds of the nile and the. The first focused on programme options for urban drinking water services during protracted crises. Wolf food, agriculture, and the environment discussion paper 12 international food policy research institute 1200 seventeenth street, n. In a keynote speech for the world water week in stockholm on 28 august 2016, our mena program director joost hiltermann assesses the role of water in middle east conflicts even, potentially, when used in the cultivation of yemens beloved stimulant, qat. We have brought together experts from the fields of traditional and nontraditional arms control and helped coordi. In iraq, a battle for control of water conflicts over water have long haunted the middle east.
Water brief 3 water and conflict events, trends, and analysis 20112012. However, climate change and extreme weather conditions point to a future in which water disputes may trigger conflict, most notably between israel and its immediate. Seventy percent of desalination plants in the world are located in this area, found mostly in saudi arabia, the united arab emirates, kuwait, and bahrain. While the plants produce water needed for the arid region, they can manufacture problems for health and the. This database lists violence over water going back nearly 6,000 years. The work of ecopeace middle east in jordan, israel, and palestine. Wolf because of waters preeminent role in survival, political conflicts over international water resources tend to be particularly contentious. Two examples of such cooperation in the middle east have been the good water neighbors project and the nile basin initiative.
But the conflicts in syria and in israel and the occupied palestinian territory, as well as the aftermath of conflict in lebanon and nearly three decades of war and sanctions in iraq, have helped push the regions water resources and delivery systems close to breaking point. The role of religion in armed conflict and discrimination in the middle east and north africa mena is receiving increased attention as the focus of the regions conflicts shifts from nationalism. In the middle east, water may be more important than either. Globalism, regionalism and the middle east aysegul sever 16 2. It was also decided to call the region middle east rather than near east, since near east is considered to be a subregion of the middle east. It is also known as the home of three major world religions. Read this essay on water conflicts in the middle east. In rural yemen, identity is very much connected to land. The roots and future of water conflicts in the middle east. Historically, water conflicts are not new in yemen. A scramble for water resources is under way in the middle east the water resources of middle east bring life and economic prosperity to the communities they pass by in the advanced industrial. The report provides examples of successful cooperation, which can be used by countries in the middle east.