Synopses & Reviews
Counter to the "hydraulic imperative hypothesis" that argues that nations will meet their water needs through forceful acquisition of neighboring territory, Router (political science, U. of Idaho) situates the dispute over water resources in the context of Israeli- Palestinian battles over land and security. Drawing on interviews with some 60 academics and officials on both sides, the author assesses the historical, environmental, economic, and legal dimensions of the water issue in light of trying to implement the Oslo water accords. His solutions stress water sharing, economic restructuring, and large-scale engineering projects.
Review
Recommended for public and academic library collections, lower-division undergraduate and up.
Choice
Synopsis
This book is a clear and comprehensive examination of the water issue in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and peace process. The water dispute between the Israelis and Palestinians seldom grabs newspaper headlines like the issues of Jerusalem or Jewish settlements, but no permanent peace accord can be achieved between these two people without agreement over allocations of shared water resources. While historical, environmental, and economic dimensions of the issue are examined, the book demonstrates the essential political nature of the dispute and concludes that it can be solved only through political accommodation.
About the Author
Alwyn R. Rouyer is Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Idaho.
Table of Contents
Introduction: Water and Politics * The Hydraulic Imperative Hypothesis * Water Resources: Scarcity and Inequity * Water and Israel's Occupation of the Palestinian Territories * Zionism and Water: The Shaping of Israel's Water Policies in the Pre-State Period * Water and Israel's Search for Security * The Political Economy of Water in Israel * The Water Negotiations: Towards the Oslo II Interim Agreement * Transition and Stalemate: The Palestinian-Israeli Water Dispute Since the Oslo II Accord * Finding Solutions to the Palestinian-Israeli Water Dispute