Water Front #3 2015

Photo:EcoPeace Middle EastECOPEACE MIDDLE EAST:THE GOOD NEIGHBOURSIn a region that has lived through decades of conflict, water has become aunifying element across borders. For twenty years, EcoPeace has broughttogether environmentalists from Jordan, Israel and Palestine to strengthenand promote cooperation around the issues of water and peace.“We’re creating aconstituency of peoplecalling for action”Nader Khateb’s voice over the telephonefrom Bethlehem is at timesquite faint. But his message is clear:Water is life and there can be no sustainableexistence without it.Nader Khateb is the Palestinian Directorfor EcoPeace, and he explains whywater is so important to him and hiscolleagues.“It touches everybody’s daily livesand is at the core of sustainable developmentin our region. Unfortunately,water has also been part of the conflictin the Middle East. At EcoPeace,we’re tackling the water issue from anon-political angle, and we’re trying todemonstrate how working together canbenefit everybody. It’s not about doingeach other favours. We think it’s inour own interest, but at the same timeit benefits everybody,” Nader Khatebsays.Water and the environment knowno borders. All the main water resourcesin Israel, Jordan and Palestine areinterdependent and transboundary.This makes water a vital part of lifein the region, as well as an agent forchange.With this in mind, several of theregion’s environmental organizationscame together in Taba in Egypt inDecember 1994 to join forces and promotethe integration of environmentalissues in the peace process. A fewmonths later, EcoPeace was born.The non-governmental organizationstarted with an all-volunteer staff,working out of other agencies’ offices.It has grown into a strong, influentialvoice with its own offices in Bethlehem,Amman and Tel Aviv.Israeli lawyer Gidon Bromberg, one ofthe original founders, says:“EcoPeace was initiated out of concernfor the region’s environment. Atthe time, the peace process was at itsheight. There had been major economicsummits about development, butsustainability and environmentalissues weren’t on thepolitical agenda. Our fear wasthat these issues would neverget onto the agenda unless aregional environmental organizationwas established. So, weset out to make sure sustainabledevelopment and the environmentgot a place at the table.”From Jordan, Co-founder, Directorand President, Munqeth Mehyar, addsthat, as much as EcoPeace is about protectingthe environment and sharingwater resources, water has also becomean important tool for peace.“We try hard to use water as a catalystto enhance our peace talks and tobring people closer together. Whetherthey like each other or not, waterbrings people to the negotiating table,”he says.One example of this, and one of themost successful peace and environmentalprogrammes that the organizationhas developed over the years, isthe s Water Neighbour project. It wasstarted to raise awareness of the sharedwater problems in Palestine, Israel andJordan. Today almost 30 communitiesare participating in the programmeand more are waiting to join.The idea is to identify cross-bordercommunities and develop a dialoguearound their mutual dependence onshared water resources.“We’ve developed a curriculum andwe’ve engaged young water trusteeswho undertake environmental hazardmapping in their communities,”explains Gidon Bromberg. “This helpsthem understand their water realityand the water reality of their neighbours,and how the two are interlinked.”One of the core messages of theproject is that, by building trust andunderstanding, it is possible to solvecommon problems – even in a conflictarea. “Working together isn’t a favourto the other side, it’s a necessity. Asan organization, we’re really trying tohighlight the self-interest that couldmotivate each side to improve theirown water reality. And the only wayto do that is to engage with the otherside,” says Gidon Bromberg.Getting young people on board isalso a way of spreading the message inan efficient way. The youth can educatetheir parents, put pressure on the mayors,and ask adults what they are doingto solve the problems in the communities.“In this way we’re creating aconstituency of people calling for action,not because they’re nice guys butbecause it’s in their own self-interest,”says Gidon Bromberg.He adds: “You cannot downplaythe importance of water in the desertand the semi-arid parts of the world.It’s something we’re concerned aboutevery single day. In Israel, for the last50 years – although less so today becauseof desalination – people wouldcheck the front page of the newspaperto find out the water level of the Seaof Galilee. That’s something ingrainedinto our mind-set, because we’ve experiencedlong periods of drought, andthat’s had dramatic implications forthe economy as well as quality of life.”Munqeth Mehyar notes proudly thatthe Good Water Neighbours projecthas taught people in the communitiesto make their voices heard and to thinkoutside the stereotypical blame game.“The Good Water Neighbours projecthas fundamentally changed the waypeople think about water, reality andtheir neighbours,” he says.However, activism comes at a price.At first, the three directors gloss overthe threats they have received, but,scratching the surface, it becomes clearthat the last 20 years have not alwaysbeen an easy journey.“People receive threats because welive in a region of conflict,” says NaderKhateb. “There are radical groups whodon’t like what we do, and then there’sthe majority who stays silent. But thereare fewer threats today because theprojects are bringing a lot of good tothe region and people can see the benefits.”However, Gidon Bromberg has amore stern view. “In order to workproductively, for every measure weundertake we must ask the question:Can the people we’re seeking to empowerdefend their actions and standup to those who will condemn them?Because they will be condemned.And if they can’t stand up and defendthemselves, then we’ll be causingmore damage than good. That’s a constantchallenge, and we must find theright balance of risk-taking, becausewe’re risking people’s lives – includingour own – in this effort.”One such example was the mostrecent Gaza war, when EcoPeace advocatedfor more fresh water to bepiped into Gaza. The call was not wellreceived. “The drinking water situationwas a humanitarian disaster and thepopulation was desperate. Our campaignwas very unpopular, but it wasalso a call to self-interest,” says GidonBromberg.“A population of 1.8 million withoutwater will not stand still. They willknock down any fence in their pursuitof water. So, it wasn’t an easy stand totake, but it was a very important one,and we succeeded. The military hasannounced that they will double thewater pumped into Gaza in recognitionthat it is a security issue.”Photo: iStockBEST WATER IDEASOn the subject of security and peace,Nader Khateb points out that the workEcoPeace has conducted in the MiddleEast could be applied anywhere thereis conflict over water. “Most riversglobally are transboundary, and I’mconvinced that the model of the GoodWater Neighbours project can work asa peace building tool nationally and internationally.People must realise thatthey have to talk to their neighbours,their enemies across the river, to solvethe issues and improve everybody’ssituation. Only if you get together canyou determine the best way to create awin-win-situation.”Another of the organization’s successstories is the work done to rehabilitatethe Jordan River. After decadesof pollution, the river had turned intolittle more than a sewage canal.It would have been easy to point fingers,but a study done by EcoPeaceshowed that responsibility for theenvironmental disaster was sharedbetween Israel, Jordan and Syria. Thethree countries had all diverted28 WATERFRONT # 3 | august 2015WATERFRONT # 3 | august 201529