“Water .. Water .. Water!” .. Does Jordan Hold the Keys to Its Water Security Away from Israel?

Al-Taj News – Al-Taj News –
Haneen Zubaideh. During the Speech from the Throne at the opening of the third ordinary session of the twentieth National Assembly, His Majesty King Abdullah II emphasized the importance of the water security file as a national priority, using the phrase “Water, water, water!”, in an affirmation of the necessity to protect Jordanian water resources, ensure their sustainability, and not allow Jordanians’ need for water to be hostage to any circumstance or pressures.

Israeli Water Does Not Exceed 4% of the Water Budget
In this context, the former Minister of Water, Dr. Hazem El-Naser, affirmed that the water Jordan obtains from the Israeli side represents only 4% of the total Jordanian water budget, stressing that it constitutes water rights for the Kingdom under the 1994 agreement, and the Israeli side cannot cut it off under any circumstance or justification.

El-Naser told “Al-Taj News” that the impression that Jordan is beholden to Israeli water is incorrect, explaining that the Kingdom possesses groundwater and surface water resources and dams, in addition to working to accomplish the National Conveyor Project in a rapid and urgent manner.

He added that any talk related to Israel in the water file is being exaggerated, pointing out that the quantities incoming from it do not exceed 4% of the total water budget, and that the Israeli side cannot cut them off in any way, shape, or form.

He noted that Jordanians will not thirst, confirming that Jordan possesses the fundamentals to protect its water security, and stressing that this is achieved under the Hashemite leadership and the presence of the Jordanian Armed Forces.

The Yarmouk River.. Concerns Over the Repercussions of Israeli Control Over Southern Syria
Regarding the waters of the Yarmouk River, El-Naser explained to “Al-Taj” that Israel cannot control the river’s waters north of Jordan, except in the event that it extends its influence over the areas of southern Syria, considering that the feeding area of the Yarmouk Basin is located in southern Syria and parts of the occupied Golan.

He said that Israel’s presence in parts of the occupied Golan since 1967 left an impact on the waters of the Yarmouk River, but the development that might change the equation is represented in the possibility of its control extending to southern Syria, which is something he ruled out happening in light of current regional and international changes.

Conversely, he pointed out that what greatly affected the waters of the Yarmouk River are the measures taken by the Syrian side, particularly the former regime, through constructing a large number of dams and drilling thousands of wells in the river basin, which was reflected in Jordan’s water share.

He indicated that Jordan lost approximately 180 million cubic meters of the water agreed upon under the agreement signed between Jordan and Syria as a result of those measures, noting that the quantities currently reaching the Kingdom from the Yarmouk River have become small.

Water Security Is a Fundamental Part of National Security
In a related context, El-Naser explained to “Al-Taj” that His Majesty the King’s affirmation of the priority of water security during the Speech from the Throne reflects His Majesty’s awareness of the importance of this file as a fundamental part of national security, and its connection to neighboring countries, which makes it a security and strategic file par excellence.

He added that His Majesty the King previously emphasized the importance of water security for Jordan during his speech at the United Nations last month, returning to affirm in the Speech from the Throne the necessity of implementing national projects and maintaining the sustainability of available water resources.

He indicated that His Majesty the King recognizes that achieving water security is not limited to providing additional sources of water, but rather requires integrated management that guarantees reliability of supply, efficiency of use, and protection of available resources, in a way that meets the needs of society and productive sectors and preserves the rights of future generations.

The King’s Message to the Home Front.. Protecting Networks and Pursuing Violating Wells
El-Naser pointed out to “Al-Taj” that the royal message is not limited to neighboring countries, but is also directed to the home front, through the necessity of