Saving the River Jordan - Israel/Palestine

Aug 2007
It's said the next war in the Middle East will be over water. Already agricultural development is killing the River Jordan. But saving the river for all nations could be an impetus for co-operation.

"It's amazing what we've done to destroy a river that's holy to half of humanity", laments environmentalist Gidon Bromberg. Raw sewage and agricultural waste have turned sections of this once pristine river into a putrid trickle. The river takes it's first hit in the deserts of Northern Israel, where farmers like Jid Shoshani drain its water for irrigation. "It's madness to be growing tropical fruits in the middle of the desert", fumes Gidon. This water should be naturally replenished by the Yarmouk river. But water from the Yarmouk is siphoned off by farmers in Syria and Jordan. By the time the River Jordan reaches the Dead Sea, it has been pumped full of raw sewage and waste. Only 10% of the water that used to flow from the Jordan now makes it to the Dead Sea. As a result, the sea level is falling by one metre a year. "It makes me feel very bad", confides engineer Eli Raz. Only if Palestinians, Israelis, Syrians and Jordanians work together can the river and Dead Sea be saved.

Produced by ABC Australia
Distributed by Journeyman Pictures

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• River
• Jordan
• environmentalist
• Gidon
• Bromberg
• Syria
• Palestine
• Israel
• Middle
• East
• news
• documentary
• current affairs
• journeyman
• journeyman pictures

[ellhow]

Palestinians are arabs.

Probably a million jews left arab countries in the 20th century. Did you know that medina was jewish once?

[theasdf09]

Get lost neo-nazi.

[olivejuice999]

Easy killer,.. in every faith the lord gave the land to the people of Israel... sorry.. it's just that way

[birch62]

Palestinians rise up and overthrow the monarchy of the minority "East bank bedowins" with Jordan already over 75% Palestinian. You have a country already it is now known as Jordan.

[birch62]

JORDAN IS PALESTINE

[missa18421]

Palestinian should start their revolution to get their lands back!!.  You should start your revolution. Israel will give you nothing unless you fight for it. Fight for your rights...Fight for your land...

[fungshuiboy]

I just been to the river Jordan baptism site.

The water is clean no smell if sewage and plenty of fishes swimming about.

The tour guide was upset when I mentioned people saying River Jordan is dirty because it supplies the water to the Dead Sea.

[urmommaisfattt]

@Noraaaa009 actually the israel people had it first and they left it but then the muslims took it. but alot of jewish people are moving back now because they think the messiah is coming soon.

[tomaluta]

@ellhow Abraham was an arabe dealer hahahaha from iraq

[ALLAGODSAMETHING]

hahahah isreal and syria enameys suuuuuuuuure... (there all working hand in hand to kill all lebanese christians!)

[arachn1dinshoe]

How much of this has happened in the past 100 years?