‘Water has to be shared by all people of this region’ Photo: Visual Photos
Scientists from France, West Bank, Gaza, Jordan and Israel to travel to southern town of Sde Boker to discuss common water production issues. ‘Water can be an issue for peace or for conflicts,’ says French ambassador to Israel
Under the patronage of the French Embassy in Israel, scientists from France, the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan and Israel will travel to the southern town of Sde Boker to talk common water production issues.
At the French ambassador’s villa in picturesque Jaffa, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, yet another cocktail party is being hosted, but this event is very special because sworn enemies are here to talk their future survival.
“We think that water can be an issue for peace or for conflicts,” says French Ambassador to Israel Christophe Bigot. “Of course water is very scarce, very rare in this region, and of course water has to be shared by all the people of this region. So they may either fight to get it or they may cooperate.
“Cooperation is obviously a way that we promote, and I think if you look at the history of the matter, people are cooperating on water much more in advance before being in the position to make peace. So water and working on water can also be a way to promote peace.”
One of the major partners on the other side is Prof. Yusuf Abu Mayla from Gaza, who realizes if the sides won’t sit down now, it will lead to a catastrophic future for all those involved.
“I think regarding the water issues, all people all over the world should talk together because its shared water,” he says. “No one can have his own water. We have shared water with the Israelis, we have the shared water with the Egyptians, we have shared water between the Israelis and the Jordanians, between all the countries together in the region.
“I think it is important to sit, to talk, to meet each other and then have some new issues, new technique or something to imply something like that. But it is really very important to improve the situation on the ground. It’s really very important for all the scientific and academic staff to talk together about the academic and technical issues, which I think is very important for our futures.”
Under the patronage of the French Embassy in Israel scientists from France, the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan and Israel will travel to the southern town of Sde Boker to talk common water production issues.
