Israel greenlights deal to double freshwater supply to Jordan in major new sales agreement between the two states

Israel’s minister of infrastructure, energy and water, Karine Elharrar has announced that Tel Aviv has formally signed off on a deal to double its freshwater supply to Jordan, in a bid to bolster “good neighborly relations.”

The deal comes months after Israel announced plans to sell 50 million cubic meters of water to Jordan, as part of renewed efforts to build cooperation between the neighboring states by addressing a major area of disagreement which has persisted since the 1994 peace deal.

Having traveled to Jordan for a signing ceremony, Elharrar said in a tweet that the deal was “an unequivocal statement” that Tel Aviv wants to secure “good neighborly relations” with Amman.

Landlocked Jordan, much of whose lands are desert, is believed to be the second-most water-insecure country in the world, according to the US-based think tank Century Foundation. The country has relied on water-supply cooperation with Israel and its antecedents dating back over a hundred years. 

Under the 1994 peace deal agreed between them, Israel agreed to sell Jordan 45 million cubic meters of water a year at a reduced price, with more available at 65 cents per cubic meter for one year, and then at a higher price again for a further two years.

Since Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett took office in June, his government has sought to prioritize strengthening ties between Tel Aviv and Amman after relations cooled during his predecessor Benjamin Netanyahu’s tenure, with increased water cooperation seen as a key area.

Speaking to AFP of the new deal, Israel’s director of the regional environmental group EcoPeace Middle East, Gidon Bromberg, said it “represents the largest water sale in the history of the two countries.”

Landlocked Jordan, much of whose lands are desert, is believed to be the second-most water-insecure country in the world, according to the US-based think tank Century Foundation. The country has relied on water-supply cooperation with Israel and its antecedents dating back over a hundred years.

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