The River Jordan Pours Its ; with the Nr Water Into Lake Tiberias, Which Is Wholly Within Lsrael

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:: "h*-"F*. l: a $* $ WI 4 .t' THE RIVER * JORDAN {+1 t.{ t*

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J tl & I J E* It & INTRODIiCTION { it /4 & CI resources is one of tlle Itlost cltrracleristic features o[ the f iSao*a,r" of waler x the. Palestine li{andate entrusted to Britain $ t*rrain that wh to constitute the area of r, rltcr \Vorld War I. Rain falls only in the short winter, leaving a long dry summer when T countries to the north tt qricultuie depends entirely orr irrigation. The neighbouring t :. have abundant resources for irrigation, Syria sharin! the Euplrrates with {*iri} and rhe s pu1.51ins rr/as -€ A"r,* *iti, Lebanbrt, and l.ebanon endole.J, besides, with t]re Litani- I to be dependent 'almost entirel.v on the exigtrcus Jordan. Tiierefo:e, when lhe rt * boundaries of Palestine werc to be setticci aftcr lYarld War l, Britaiu' as the prcspective 5 ll:ndatory Power, and the Zionist Organizati,:n representing'the nascent Jewish * Igfonal Home, demanded that the Jordan and all its iribuiaries be includeC in their Palcstine and tlr-at tl-re Litani demarcate Palestine's northern * iniiiety in the territory of { fruntier. But, at French insistence, Paiestine's no:thern bor:ndary with Lebanon and * Syria, both placed under French l{andate, was set southof the Litani andle.stof {t' 3.: ilennon, sO that three of the four ntain tributaries of the Jordan - the Hasbani' the Baaias and the Yarmuk -. were to originate in French-Mandated territories, and the Urani would become a Lebanese nationai river. The matter was furlher aggravatcd *ten Transjordan, containing a considerable section of the Yarmuk ;iver, was separ- ated from Westem Palestine. Water, next to soil, was ihe most important cornrnodity, a decisive factor determin- ing the future development and absorptive capacity of Palestine. In the beginning of &e 1940's, the Jewish Agency eniisted the cooperation of outstaqding experts to advise it on a compreheniiue plan for the development of the country's water Ie- sourccs, the most distinguished among them the great American soil-conservationist ard hyrlrologist, Walter i" Lowdersilk. In his book, Pclesr ine Lutd af Promise {1944),, Valley Arrthority, on the Pat]e-r'l Lnwdermilk suglested the establishment of a Jordan , of the Tennet*J. Vott"y Authority, for the purpose of utilizing the deep incline of the i ' Iordan ,River to generate power, diverting the sweet waters of the Uqper Jordan, the Yarmuk and Zerqa in canals and conduits to arable and irrigable lands along the Jordan '

461 Valley and in the Negev, and introducing sea-water from the Mediterranean to the I}e B'not Yaal Valley to compensate the Dead Sea for the loss of intake that would be due to diversion of Jordan water for irrigation and additional generation of power. Lowder. {)n 2 Septearbr milk estimated that the adoption of his plan would make possible the absorption of the constructio four million newcomers. The American engineer, James B. Flays, in his plan ("TVA on l'gakov Bridge the Jordan, Proposals for lrrigation and Hydro-Electric Development in Patestine", from where a I 1948), elaborated the basiE ideas of tire Lowdermilk plan. north-wssfsnt 6 With the establishment of the State of Israel, the changed border alignment, masseg JSGmetre drop of immigrants pouring in, the need for a national water development scheme and its rnd to pump u speedy execution becarne eyer more pressing. A Water Department was formed within South. the Ministry of Agriculture to draw up the scheme, a task subsequently taken over by Syria protest armistice Tahal (Water-Plannirrg for Israel), a corporation set up and owned by the Governmenl _the agrr in partnership with the Jewish Agency and the Jewish National Fund. The fint t\rnnereth would national plan, called the Seven-Year Plan and worked out by Israeli experts and foreign Sraff of the Unir consultants, was presented in 1952 (Document l). In many respects, it was based on Bennike, ordered the earlier Lowdermilk and Hays proposals. It aimed at integrating all resources in a rerched. Israel ot single, colnprehensive country-wide system and distributing the water to the places work on the Hul pressure where it was wanted. A substantial portion of the total available water was to be by the : carried from the relatively rich northern part of lsrael to the barren Negev, which economic aid to, constitutes sixty percent of the area of Israei. Utilization of the deep declivity of thc the end" A Frenclr Jordan Valley to generate power, and digging of a canal from the Mediterranean to the was accepted by tl Jordan Valley, were parts of the design. deUberations of th In the meantime the Kingdom of Jordan had been developing water plans of its draft was proposer own. In 1949, lordan engaged the British firm of Sir Murdoch MacDonald to re- authorizing the Ctr examine earlier surveys and reconrmendations for irrigation in the Jordan Valley. The Syrian interests (S British firm, in its study, assumed that Lake Kinnereth should serve as a resen'oir for Union on 22 lanua right surplus water from the Yarmuk River and that canals be drarvn from the Lake to of veto to Dr precedentwould irrigate both sides of the Jordan Valley. be The MacDonald Plan was folldwed in 1952 by a different project prepared by the conflict. Resolution Jordanian Covernment in conjunction with the US Technical Cooperation Agency the prornised ..urser (Point IV). It became known as tlie Bunger Plan. This plan proposed to store the the issue became i. Yarmuk River waten in a relatively large and costly dam at Makaren to serve{ordan and Sy1i3. During these years, prospects for water development also ingaged the attention of The Johnston Negoti UN bodies concerned with the ]l{iddle East. In 1949. the Palestine Conciliation Com' Valley But, while mission asked Gordon Clapp, Chairman of the Board of the Tennessee Author' the issue r tresh ity (TVA) to lead an economic survey mission to the Middle East to examine, amonS initiative devel< gestions other things, irrigation needs and water schemes. expressed alr iliddle In 1952. the United Nations Relief and Works Agency contracted with the TVA East in the sp for a review and anall,sis of past and existing proposals for utilization of the Jorden lor the utilization il the US contribution River, especially in the Kingdom of Jortian. (TVA in turn assigned tlte survey to to the s< firm of Charles T. Main.) israel. He appointed f the Israel was ready to co-ordinate its plans with the projects of its neighbours, but the Technical Coooer pra rank Arab States rel'used to deal or eyen meet with Israeli representatives. So Israel to consult wit'tr t, tn ceeded with plans for its own needs, bearing in mind the interests of its neighboun. October 1953 and

468

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+i],:t ilri " e i{editerranean to the lfre B'not Yaakov Project that would be due to tion of power. Lowder- 2 september on 1953, Israel began work on , tyaro-"t*"tric project as a first stage in ssible the absorption of the construction of a south-bound water conduit. The starting point was near Blnot 's, in his plan (..TVA (Jisr on Yaakov Bridge Banat Ya'qub, Daughters of Jacob Bridge-), south of Lake Hula, in Palestine", 'lopment frorn where a l3-kilometreJong diversionary canal was to be built to a pointnearthe north-western corner of Lake Kinnereth, where a power station was to utilize the r aliSnrnent, masses 28Gmetre drop of the Jordan from the bridge to Lake Kinnereth to. generate po*.i sclreme pump and its and to water into a diversionary scheme leading from Lower Calilee to the ent rvas fornled within South. uently taken Syria protested over hv to the United Naticns, claiming, inter alio, that Israel was violating I by the Gorernme,rt the armistice agreement because the projected canal from B'noi Yaakov Bridge to LakJ ional Fund. The first Kinnereth would pass through demilitarized zones. On 23 September, ttre Cfrlef of eli experts ancl foreigl Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organizatiotr (UNTSO), General Vagn pects, wat Bennike, it based on ordered Israel to suspend work until agreement on its continuation was :tring all resourccs reached' Israel in a objected, basing itself on General Riley's ultimate decision to approve I \\'atet to the places work on the Hula plan two years earrier (see section v, subsection 6), but, under able water was pfgssure to be by the Powers * the united states giving waming that it would suspend barren Negev, which economic aid to Israel until compliance with General Bennike's order gave way in deep declivity - of the the end. A French-sponsorecl Resolution promising urgent consideration of thc matter l\fediterranean to *'as accepted the by the Security council on 2T october 1953 (s/312g, Docunrent 2)- The deliberations of the Council dragged on for several months, and finally a compromise ng water plans draft of its was proposed by France, the unired Kingdom and the United sirt., urtine uij h l{asDonald authorizing to re- tlie Chief of Staff to explore the possigilities of reconciling the Israeli and Jordan Valley. Syrian l}le interests (S/3 l5l, Document 5). The Resolution was vetoed bv the Sovietr &s a reserv'oir for union on 22lanuary 1954. This was the first time that the soviet ur* rr"a-r;;;;;l n from the right Lake to 9f veto to prevent the adoption of a decision not agreeable to tire A;.br;;; precedent would be followed thereafter in all questions that touched on ,t, U''A ect prepared errUir*.ll by the conflict. Resolution s/3128 suspending work on the Israeli project,.*uin.a ooperation i,.1 f;;;;:l Agency the promised "urgent consideratjon" was staiemated, and, on G unii"a Nr*r; b"l, i to store the the issue became inextricably deadlocked. ren to serve Jordan

the attention of The Johnston Negotiations Conciliation Com- Valley Author- But, while the issue was still at at early stage of discussion in the Security Council, a {o examine, amorg fresh initiative developed that seenred to be more constructive. In the light of sug- gestions expressed already in Secretary John Foster Dulles' report on his visit to the ed with the TVA Middle East in the spring of 1953, Preiident Eisenhower envisi,oned a regional scheme tion of the Jordan for Jhe utilization of the Jordan waters: he hoped to make thereby a substantial auryey to the US contribution to the solution of the Arab refugee problem and to the development of Israel- He appointed Eric Johnston, chairman;i iiliil;;ilrrr'ei""ff;;il bours, tui me ;; the Technical Cooperation Agency, as his special representativ" *itf, $o Israel pro- .*lusJ"riri to consult with.Middle Eastern Covernments.iJohnston arrived in the easi its neighbours. in,october3t Uiaafe 1953 and offered, as a basis for negotiations, a plan which had be.-n prepared by charles T. Main, lnc., at the requesi,ofr,the united Nations,,unaeithe direction of the Terinessee Valley Authority. The plan propor"J u"ttg orrhnizationoi

{69 .,,- I, the , headwat.rr. ol the Hasbani I storage and Hyra area, the I reservoir for the -in use of Lake Kinnereth l flil';;;, of^t!3 the as , project lriar" -i'ir*rk, oi.rriur-ir*.ii *", foui ;:::"[:x;1'j'.i:'ilI jrffi 1955, with scheme Israer and the Kingdom- **:.rii::ffi .i:::,.,;e*ii.i,".,i',*oi inVt earlier in *";li.tnio:,To_t,j:r: oz";j;;:'ir._r.r.*ourJ r"Ilir.*,ji; #r,r:T;,rJr"l.Jf;;l th, p.'..ni,'ilr. ,rin beneficiary - r Jerusalem" being Jordan "i tr I regiona,n,*il'lT,L;ilia#:il:i,iTr,::$J#a.*i:,,dT3,*0.1.,"#.? regional coo regionarity by restrictint;r."ri;; and ir,.'ur. of the Jorda, *rr.r, arrnost untapr.d *It.* or'ri..ltr*,. and excruding the rich was *,. ,.*na'uasic oujection The Lake Kir to the principre or .*.tusirJ raised by Israer - devctoping rfurioi;r, ;;;"d.out rhe Nelev. rrrr.iirrir,..6*;d any possibirity of water than ,h;;j#;; had In the late I ir could use to ,a""riru".irr.r"r "r; been arrotted mr , ,"rr*lii"irlro cided to solvr sunrmarized in "The cotton pr- ?", the DeJop.*""ri ""rnter-proposao rJ[, in its divenic Resources of the Jordan an"Ji;,.ali ut,ization oi th" wrt", n]i.. srrinr,,, February tgs4.) Yaakoy ide+ set u r'Jri.rr ior,,,ii,;;';;'*:i.r,.which, demilitarized 1.n,fr".ff,t#"ue 'p in ie54, pr+, .u*r ",'"";, corner of the .+9 ;;;,,; .I; ,,xif ',.. ;;:: ,:l i"f .;lL ,; reserroir t+s the storage **;f _,, : *,,T,;, at Bt reservoir, insisted *l*; t J:d:: allocation ;;;- ;irrin principte" arj'rrt.a and open cana for syria ,rrr irurr"r;;.i, for much higher warer to tr,.iou i"rrrJ*urr,,r.

i:1

Lake Kinnereth as project foundered on the political rocks. The Arab League, meeting in Cairo in october distribution of the 1955, withheld its consent. ul9.r_ ry&" instigation, trre League objected to any to their needs and sch-eme. involving cooperation "i'.. with IsrEiInd benefiting the IsraJi economy. Already fpwer projects in in the year, earlier the Arab Higher Committee for Palesiine, heade6 by the ex-Mufti of he total suppty of Jerusalem, urged tlie Arab staies to reject the project (Document 9). The chance for regional cooperation i,:1 iil a project that aimed at peace had been wrecked. :' hile welcoming a , very principle of excluding the rich The Iake Kinnereth-Negev project I raised I by Israel I -1 any possibility of In the late 1950's, iealizing that a negotiated agreemcnt was unattainable, Israel de- n allotted more cided to solve the pressing probiem of deveroping its water ,"rorr"", bf" ulriJ'arraaga ter-proposals rvere in its diversionary project. It embarked on an arternative plan, abando:ri"s ih. B;;", fion of the Water Yaakov idea and switching the point of diversion to Lake Kinnereth, outside the demilitarized zones: u'ater would'be lift"d from Eshed Kinroth L the north-western icli, in 1954, pre- comer ol the Lake, 212 metres below sea-level, to 40 metres above sealevel to a political aspects reservoir at Beth Netofah, in Lowercalilee, and pass from there through tunnels, pipes y within Israei, as and open canals to the headworks of the exisling yarkon-Negev project, and thence to ,uch higher u'ater the Negev, completing the overali integrated national rvater scheme. The quantity of ould be entitled water to tle drawn would be kept wlthin the allocatio,, fo*r""n in the Jolmston tltoritative Arab Unified Plan' The project - new could be easiiy integrated inio a ,e$onut sclcme opce re of the partici- there $'as agreement with the neighbouring States. The Lake Kinneretir-Negev project had obvious ard very serious disadvantages. The original B'not yaakov ploiect was d in reaching connected power with a project, utilizing the drop of the Jordan to Liike Kinnereth; the Litani and one was depende,t .the 1ew on an extra,eous supply of power. The water at the new , he dropped the intake at Eshed Kinroth is considerabry more sarine, the engineeir* ;;;;;';;;l; '. n were agreed higher' But all these - shortcomings werl outweighed by tire gain of dissociating the problem of the projeci from the demilitarized zones rvith all their concomitant political complications. tisfying first the By thc time Israel started the execution of the revised plan, Jordan was already ir:; lor in the "Arab busy with a diversionary 1-. project of its own, from the yarniuk, the East Ghor canal endorsed to project' Jordan and Isrg-9l were encoi.iraged and financially assisted by the United he residue (esti- States on conaition-irrif"it1.y . adhered to"the Johnston ailocations. Inclependently of Id thus receive each dther, the two States proceeded with their constructive works- The Unified plan divprt its share had sunk, bu[ "the Johnston formura", to use a definition of philip Geyelin, survived.

t by them at of I00 mcm fuab Diversion Threats ough itself no u8e successful Syria, encouraged by its success in blocking, through the united Nations, Israel,s d.iversionary project yaakov, from B'nor ,niin;";;;;rl'"irir",irr*r agreement on was ready to the Johnston Plan, now attempted to sabotage the revised Israel pran by cutting off Israel, though some of its rpain sources at the headwaters of the Jordan. In November 1960, Technical the committee of the Arab League adopted a plan to divert the il;;;i;ii snd of the last and so prevenr fanias rheir flowing inlo the Grritoryi rrr""i-g"t ;;"';;;;;; t that he had drew from the united Arab Republic in 1961, Egypt became preoccupied with other areas of the Middle East, and Jordan was intent on going o, ,ulth the East Ghor canal Project' The "spite" plan of diversion, in the circumrflncer, ru". pig"on;"il.-B;;, 4'l with Israel's nationar water carrier on the verge of completion, syria renewed its campaign. The first Arab "summit" The combinei meeting of Heads of staie, herd in cairo in January 1964, discussed ways and means 1 of the countr of saboiaging Israel,s undertaking. Syria,s cap fori instant war against Israel was third of the rejected by the other Arab Heads of state, red e. President Nasser' Apart from by the country's decisions on tt establishment of a unified military command' a Palestinian political " which no cou identity and a Palestinian arrny, the meeting endorsed a plan to divert the Jordan headwaters, hand, one of whrch woutd be financed by alr Arab states. _ The official communiqu6 pubrished foreign currenl ui'ti,r rna of the meeting (Document Ir) onry hinted at this plan, but it was ': ment of agricu divurgra uv trr. secretary-Gerrrrioi the Arab League: it, called for the diversion of the Hasiani pu.t State. i, to the Litani, *rr.r..-itr'*"r;ffi1;i : flow into the Mediterranean, and in part to the Banias in syria, whence the joined j 'waters would flow into a dam Most of th, to be built on the'Yarmuk Rivlr and on from there toi Jordan-held territorv (se.e during three Document r+j.'riu."omprished, tne ai""rio]n'*.o",ilHff:L o Israel of from 200 year. Rainfall to 250 mcm. J < Prime lr{inister Eshkor northern half reacted in the Knesset on 26January r964 (Docum entr2): c Israel would act to protect farming in the its vital rights. on 5lrfarch, Foreign Minister Golda declared, during Meirs gation, a visit to-London, tha"t any attempt to divert th";;;;; i"",};r*:i the crc agriculture in t or u['",'io,,,;'as much an aggression as trying to Ili?r::,['ifi:'-'ffi1;&1i' I ible. The Arab menace could nol prevent the complction of Israel's national water carrier in June 1964' continuous Arab 'J** r and especially syrian ilrreats to u;; i against Israel, on the grounds (2) The lrrigatia of its water proi"ci .;ilii i;;;;i";; and firm position. The problem was frequently discussed between Israel and interested Governments. andr especially the uS. on several]Eyrrdr occasionsuuuaslons * (a) Messrs. therne unitedunrted States made iuits ,*irl.r';,;;;'';:,position public, asl J.ordan.yarnruk River israel at about :::r:lT:..:1,":..:f .1n:. waters within th" j"l;;;;;';il;;;;;ffi1 and_denouncing "spite"^diversions 1952;this figure and aggression (Docurnent I3). But syria started work on the projects oi riiveriion, This total is rerult-iig in armed clashes wiih Israel during late 1964 to I966 (see Section X). owing to l"srael's forcefrrl reaction, the rvork on the diversion was snspended in 1966, (, but- the belricose designs and campaig, of hatred originatingvrrslrraLrIrE inrlr udrlrascllsDamascus increasedlncreased the tensions on thc Swrirn-Icrool on the Syrian-lsrael frontier,rra,.ri^- and^-.:.-.^\^ wele al- _ r major factor in rhe build-up that -"- ''" - - - (ir) -.c . ., led to the Six-Day War. l e: (iii) * (iv) t; (") 1" lsrael seven-Year pran, from prans',, [; "Data and submitted to the Jerusarern co.- * ference, October 1953: tf1 * (b) The soil r In 1952, I'sraeli and experts proposed figures are not yr foreign the first national v,ater plan, which called $, for tlte tttilization of the Jorian *)rro, estinrated to be s tr i, a fromework nf an integrated pran for the r{. I use of all a,oilable the t vteter resources in the coltntry. The pran was northern pa;t t Government approyed by the dl in late 1952 and subntitted to lhe lerusatem'Co,nference (c) While orr, nomic on Israel,s eco- developrnent in October 1953. Excerpts follow: quantity of irrigar ive of irrigation p arid south. . (1) The Necessity for lrrigation .

The two most important basic rarv materials in the State of Israel are soil and water.

472 (4) The Jordan Diversion * Stage (b) T}e Ma

The princ (a) Features not dependent for their operation on the completion of the main conduit. for the ir rather un ii The fordan-Sah! Battauf canal and power station mentionet water sup The Jordan-Battauf canal actually forms the first Iink of the main conduit from the pluses for J-ordan to the Negev. The construction of the first section of this project (Jordan- additiorul Kinnereth) has just been started and it is anticipated that this section will be corn- pletior: i,r" pleted hy 1957, including the hydro-electric station. The continuation of this canal Sal:t:i from the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinnereth) to the main storage reservoir of Sahl Battauf forms .., :e (Emek Netufa) is scheduled for compretion by r959, including tlie major pumpinl only li:,: r* station required to raise the Jordan water from canal level to that of the Sahi Satiaui avoid. .: a reservoir' Since both the power project, features of this as well as local irrigation en of the :c route (especially Lower Galiiee), can be implemented without being dependent on the valley i rl completion of the main conduit, it is justified include project to this under the first limited ::; group of projects forming part of the Jordan diversion '-. Stage I. execute ri .;. The diversion stntcture on the Jordan yaakoy will be constructed near the B'not The ri";, bridge; a canal will convey the water to the power plant above Lake Kinnereth, where southern di a drop of 250 m. between the canal and the lake is utilized for the generation of a total d approximately 25,000 - kw. The canal continues with reduced cross-section to the Sahl buted thro Battauf reservoir. During the summer months. the relatively small flow of the Jordan length, the will be ulilized exclusively for power generation during peak hours of the electrical diameter, tt grid; the larger winter flow will partly be utilized for power generation around the used in cert clock, the remainiitg water pumped being for storage in the Sahl Battauf resen,oir, Esdraelon i: whence it will be conve-ved through the nrain conduit to the Negev. A small portion of annum; act{ the water stored in Sahl Battauf will be conveyed to Lower Galilee to feed the regional number of a irrigation project mains mentioned above. of Israel arr struction is iii The KinneretltBeisan catrul report. This canal is the first link of an extensive project for the irrigation of the lb*,lands (c) Surnmary - around Lake Kinnereth, the Jordan Valley below the Lake, ard the Beisan area. Since, with increasing utilization of the Jorclan florv, the salt content of the water of Lake -Surnmarizing Kinndrctlt $'ill ri-

474 O) The Main Conduit - Stage I, and Appurtenant Features

Jhe principal objective of the main conduit is the provision of a supplementary supply for the irrigation ol the Negev; secondary major objectives are'the firming up of the rather undependable supplies derived from the numerotls flood retention projects mentioned above, as well as suppletnenting, wherever required, deteriorating ground- water supplies'and absorbing, where they occur, ground, spring and flood water sur- desirable to have the uit from the pluses for-use elsewhere. These tlrree objectives n:ake it most possible after the com- roject (Jordan- addit;onat supply of the main conduit availabie as early as will be completion of the four major projects, but not later than 1960. storage reservoir of Israel, of this canal Sahl Battauf reservoir, the main seasonal and carry-over project. the stage considered here, ofSahl Battauf forms one of the most important features of the At will be ulilize-d foi storage in order to maJor pumplng only the weitern pait of the natural rcservoir Site the problematic llature he Sahl Battauf avoid, or at least postpone, the complications connected with will be built across the I irrigation en ol the rocks bordering the eastern part of the valley. A dike valley to effect this dlvision. As it is feared that leakage problems may also exist in of the dam will be under the-fust limited portions of the western part of the valley, constnrction executed in stages and remedial measures taken against leakages where necessary' and runs, mostly itr a B'not Yaakov The main conduit issues from the Sahl Battauf resenroir the fringe of the Negev innereth, where soutftern direction, up to a nrail distribution point on nort|ern point, the water is distri- &. generation of - a total distance of about 140 kms From this distribution laterals' For most of its tion to the Sahl buted throughout tire Negev by 66" mains and 36"-20" pre-stressed cotrcrete pipes 1 08" in of the Jordan length, the conduit rvill consist of reinforced pipe piants. Tunnels will have to be of the electrical diameter, to be manufactured in semi-permanent bordering upon the Vailey of tion around the used in certain sections, especially for crossing the hills 200 million cm per *: reservoir. Esdraelon in 1he west. The conduit will have a capacity of about I f i- 150 firillion cm per annum. A I small portion of annunt; actual average use, at this stage, will be about in the central and southern part {-_. eed the regional number of additional seasonal and cany-over reservoirs of Israel are contemplated, in addition to'the Sahl Battauf reservoir, but their con- i,. a. struction is scheduted for the period following 1960, and therefore not included in this l:. ' report. ,5

:i- of the lowlands (c) Summary - Jordan Diversion isan area. Since. water of Lake Summarizing the average yields available for irrigation of those features of the Jordan -.L fit tor irrigation' diversion which are scheduled for execution beforc 1960, the following figures are allotted to the obtained (in million cm per annum! all frgures rounded offl: 1 ing offfrom the at Reservoirs (except Sahl Battauf) 113 j.;l th, though (i) i:: the Allotment to Upper and Lower Galilee from l:'. stations (ii) 4i Jordan-Sahl Battauf canal 11 ia 80 n' snd will be fed, .(iii) Kinnereth-Beisaucunal .i'.. 150 .! (iv) Main conduit from Sahl Battauf !. canal will bring :, iUpplementary -:- . i.r' 424 ' :1:' ofthe existing TOTAL ta between the

\r- 4"t5 I 2. Israel suspends work on River Jordan Project during examination by the Security wort. * Council, Security Council Resolution Sl3l28,27 October 1953: The onl-r renewing The yard On 2 Septentber 1953, lsrael began work on a project hydro-electic sening itswater suflirlr.n<. develapment in the upper Jordan basin. on 23 september, tlrc chief of staff of the ofan3,.,l Uniled Natictrts Tntce Supervision Orgarzization asked the Government of lvael "to I-:. ettsure tlrut lhe owthority which sturred work in the demilitarized zone on 2 September were r', 1953 is instructed to cease working in the zone so long as an agre€tnettt is ttol ar- wtrroi: ,i.c ranged." On 27 October 1953, the Seanrity Council adopted the following Resolution to ei;: ,d; askirtg Israel to suspend the work during urgent tlte exsrnination of the questiott by the their :;t Council. Israel ogreed to halt the works during tlwt exa.mination: wate; iil COIC€.' : :"rj The Security Council, fj: the ner ':l I;' Haling taken note of the report of the Chief of Staff of the Truce Supervision justifie'.: ,, Organization dated 23 October (S/3122), !..: 1953 inconct,".;r t' ,' ii: Desirctus of facilitating-the consideration bf the question, without, however, preju- fr' neiglrbou,-i i. dicing the rights, claims or positions of the parties concerned, putting +' -. the f:l Deems it desirable to that end that the works started in the demilitarized zone on 2 resources j [:.rr September 1953 should be suspended during the urgent examination of the question !' continurtic by the Security Council; bringing ab, .\bres with satisfaction the statement made by the Israel representative at the 63 lst Finally. neeting regarding the undertaking given by his Government to suspend the works in may be suli qrrestion dr"rring that examination; approach, a Requests the Chief of Staff of the Trrrce Superv'ision Organi zation to inform it general outl regarding the fulfilment of that undertaking. snch plans . scientific au accumulatio internation:r 3. lsrael lVater Rights, Stateruent to the Foreign Sharqtt,30 ryater and a November 1953: sun,ival- Thr well as frorn - All those In a review in the Knesset of Israel's foreign relatiotls, the Foreign Minister devoted the Israel, water /ittal purt of his speech to the dispute concerning Israel's water rigltts. The releyant s, stern of na parts follow: not food alr productivity, gation we sha One matter is still pending. nanrely, the subject of tlre Security CoLrncil delibcrltions in and withoui: recent weeks: the future of our work in diverting the generate Jordan to electricity - we shall not wltich is also linked to futnre irrigation plans. I will not enter into details, partly character, in c because they'have been made public and also because the matter r.rnder discus- is still it and which ti sion and no decisiorr has yet been taken. In this campaign, too, we hat,e invested much effort. We insist on our right to continr"re and finish the work we have begun. lVe disrupted it temporarily in order to allow the Security Council a short spell to clarify the issue in a calm atmosphere, just as previously we were prepared to facilitate the clarification of certain points for the UNTSO Chief of Staff by a short halt in the

4',16 the Security work. We are certainly interested in renewing the work in full agreement with the UN. The oltly Iintitations u,lrich we shall be ready to couternplate as justitied. in so far as renewing the work is concerned, relate to securing individual rights against any damage. The yard-stick for the sincerity and efficiency of sucir a guarantee is approval of its ing its woter. sufliciency by an authorizcd UN institution. We shall not agree loacccpt tlte approval 'f Staff of the of any other body on this matter. of Israel "to As for the qtrestion of regional water planning which has meanwhile arisen, we t 2 September were tlte first to have declared our readiness to sit with our three neighbours with ent is not ar- whom we have, or may have, comnton water interests - Jordan, Syria arrd Lebanon * ttg Resolution to elucidate and determine a regional settlement of water resources on the basis of estion by the their just apportionrrrent, and if they so desire. to arrive also at a joint plannilrg of water utilization for in'igation and the supply of energy for the good of all factors conccntcd. As long as no such settlelncnt is establislred again, because of the relusrl ol the neigltbouring countries to convene with Israel - we shall deem ourselves free and justified .to treat the waters of the rivers flowing in our country as our own. I{ is inconccivable that a ban or delay be imposed on ollr development rvork pending tlre neiglibouring countries' consent to cooperate. Sucli a condition is tantamount to putting the lid on every Israeli development project dependent on utilization of water ed zone on 2 resources in the north. On the contrary, we are convinced that the uninterrupted !'. question f the contiuuatior,t of Isra.:Ii development projects is, possibll,, the nrost elficicnt means for EE bringing about regionai cooperation. at the 63 I sr Finally, we are prepared to examine in good faith any regional rvater plan which the works in may be submitted by any international body. lt was irt this slririt that we promised to approaclt, artd indeed did so approach the study of a plarr proposed some time: ago in to inform it general outline b-v the Governnrcnt of tlre United States. Our method in the study of g sucli plans rvill be dual: first. a very careful exarnination of the assessnrents and the s x scientific and technical clata upon which the plan is loundeJ. in the light of our vast t accumulation of knowledge and experience and on tlie basis of opinion of experts of international repute whorn we trust: secondly. a firm insistence on the l'Lrllquantity ol wrtcr and rvailable rrncrgy rlecessery for Isrrel's econornic divelopnrent and its very survival. The plan submitted to ns is consl.riciroLrsly tlulty frorn both these aspccts, as well ls lronr others. Discussion olthe plait is not -v-ct conclirded. All those wishing to win our cooperation in this sphere must realize one thing. For ted the Israel, water is no luxury, not even merely a higirly desirable and use ful addition to our relevanl qystem of natural resources. Water for us is life itself. It is food for the people - and not food alone. Without large scale irrigation projects we shall not achieve high productivity, balancing the economy or economic independence. For without irrigation we shall not at all produce a worthl. agricuiture under our special circumstances, ns in and without agriculture - particularly highiy developed and progressive agriculture - ty- we shall not be a people rooted in the Iand, secure in its existence, stable in its eils, partly character, in control of all the possibilities of material and spiritual crsation inherent in der discus- it and which,this country can open before it. much legun. ll'e to Ctarify ilitate the in the

:477 1 4. tsid to Chief of Staff to reconcile Israel-syrian interests, Draft Resolution S/3151 t2. presented to the Security Council, l6 December 1953: $fficie technic questio On 16 December 1953, in an effort to break the deadlock over the lordan River 13. development project, the United Ststes, United Kingdom and France submitted a draft Anl:isti Resolution to the Security Cotmcil asking and authorizing the Chief of Stoff to explore undrr. possibilities in the dispute. When a vote was taken of reconciling the interests involved l on 22 January 1954, seven nzembers voted in favour, two against (including the Soviet on:' , Unian) and two abstained. This *,as the first time that the Soviet Union had used its yeto in the Arab-Israel conflict. This is the text of the Craft ResolutiotT. in its linal revised version: YT The Securitl,Council, l. Recalling its previous resolutions on the Palestine question, 2. Taking into consideratiofi the statements of the representatives of Syria and Israel and the reports of the Chief of Staff of the Truce Supervision Organization on lsrar' ' .S.lrri.;, ;. the Syrian complaint (S/3 l08i Rev. I ), 3. .ly'oles that the Chief of Staff requested the Government of Israel on 23 Sep He s!:';o tember 1953 "to ensure that the authority which started work in the demilitarized slateme, zone on 2 September 1953 is instructed to cease working in the zone so long as an agreement is not arranged"; Iluch w 4. Endorses this action of the Chief of Staff; this disc 5. Recalls its resolution of 27 October 1953, taking note of the statement by the producir representative of the Government of Israel that the work slarted by Israel in the construc demilitarized zone would be suspended pending urgent examination of the question by Israel ha the Council; At ei in 6. Declares that, in order to promote the return of pernraneut peace in Palestine, the Sy by the S it is essential that the General Armistice Agreement of 20 July 1949 between Syria and used by i Israel be strictly and faithfully obsen,ed by the parties; parties VII, paragraph 8, of the\Armistice the devel 7. Reminds the that, under Article imu Agreement, rvhere the interpretation of the meaning of a particular provision of the suspenCil Agreenient other than the preamble and Articlcs I and II is at issue, the Mixed Armis- -*-effects, tice Commission's interpretation shall prevail; e longed st 8. Noles that Article V of the General Armistice Agreement between Syria and mate dev Israel gives to the Chief of Staff, as Chairman of the Syrian-lsraeli Mixed Armistice could ner Commission, responsibility for the general supervision of the demilitarized zone; rnent of 9. Calls uport the parties to comply with a1l his decisions and requests in the dependinl exercise of his authority under the Armistice Agreement; . deny the 10. Requests and authorize.s the Chief of Staff to explore poisibilities of reconcil' Syria, not ing the Israeli and Syrian interests involved in the dispute over the diversion of Jordan developrn waters at B'not Yaakov, including full salisfaction of existing irrigation rights at all degree, y< seasons, while safeguarciing the rights of individuals in the demilitarized zone, and to o[ impror take such steps in accordance with the Armistice Agrecntent as he may deem appropri' rneagre sc ate to effect a reconciiiation; I Armistice 1 1. Calls upon the Governments of Israel and Syria to coioperate with the Chief On the ot of Staff to.this end and to refrain from any unilateral action which would prejudice it;

i tion S/3t51 : 12. Requeststhcth.esecretary-Generar s.^-^.^- ^ sufficient number to prace ?t the disnns"l fitff i;#';r,I{lri*"#T#[ifl]:di:""':l:::H:llreqhi:r'rs'[arra Jordan River r3. Arrirms,h'jl*::if,:i tr,. a",iriii,,lff",Ti:f;"'::;;3JT',1Jil"r".:,'i; tbmitted a droft o'*'*,, to explore #l;'X',#,JH,H1;'ff,*:lr ro supersede fqil": ,nltr. semilItarized rhe vote was taken 14. i:H:: zone there- ill Direcfi thl cr.,;^r ar cr- 'n the Soviet starr' ro on the ,;r;;;; :t reporr to the Securitv #ii.lTf)n ro councircorr.. wjrhin ii! had used i* . si".ri..ii"#j*i[Securitv ninef days ion, in its finat I t. l lrl:*r.."omptainr Unfounded, otatenrentSrarenrenr councit, I7 Decenrbe; byhv AmbassadoramL^^.-. --. ,;;r';' Eban to the Security of Syria and zation on lsrael's perntanent Re Na,io,,s on 23 Sep ,,uu,,",,,:::o::es 'r*ij,:iiii{i'i{i!i'r;:,,:;,y:;:ed t*,ed in a demilitarized '"'"t's views;;";;;"orrf; * ,,or,*u,r jourrl,l ;:::iriiytri;i!;'li:i/rj'iii:;:f so long as an I{ { [fuch wa(er , has I * tlris discussio' River & ernent of::"1'long'the by the p,oa,.i,,e bridge since Israel in f .r-.,;+;X'"',r,J{1,flT the conslructjve devet.,rr*^*",::.." has li:ii^Ui'ij:;,1':^.^'_I:,uovbeen ternp6lxpil1,:,,"^:]'llj'' ttic plan for question ? ; '::tt b1, * # ,.i'i; :f H'""'*Jjl I ' i t ,,r,,.rr. T J ;ffi ; T ##i 3i in Palestine, :l.Tl:;;have become i i, ti,. sl"irn increasingly l .rr.'ii: 1e irnpresserr r,. v Syria & and * t n I e Arrnistice a:i: , it*:iillrl!ffi s_ 'ision lil*[i*#*,*[,*.:::ffi of the n iffi td ed Armis- t ft Sa" t +.. 5 Syria and 'ii Armistice

t ests in the i l reconcil- of Jordan : ts at all and to ,r appropri- I t{ ,the Orief I i * 3 rpramr ! ir rry measure to ir. ro*iorii,liLtransform our ;, t{ ri 17q. ,G .\ conciliatory agreement to keep a certain area free of armed forces into a stranglehold ' river I on our vital economic interests, and thus to distort the Armistic. egr."rnJnt B not discredit its peaceful purposes. "ni We have signed an undertaking - which we shall honour to avoid the prescnce -Fc our - of mre gr armed forces in the demilitarized zone. we have not sigfled any unclertaki;;;; cancel wiii;., the economic development projects on which the future oi Israel O"p"iOr, simply because those projects : tlS', .,' require work in the demilitarized .:. zone from wtrich w;t 1. Syria's unconditional rvithdrawal was announced by the responsible united Nr;;;; organ concented. Pi'" li It would surely be a grave breach of intemational faith to use the , provisions of the Armistice d, iit Agreement against us for purposes which, fraa t_frey even , IJ ,t; been hinted at in the text of the Agreement itself or at the time when tne agreemeni lr, rh; was signed, would most certainly have led us to withhold our signature. I can state with 1rl: .t perfect certainty and personal ,: knowledge that, had it ever been hinted or suggested in ot.:i.r 1949 that our agreement to the demilitarization of this zone could be a, an ' kiir , ,r agreement to renounce Israel's power and irrigation development schemes"onst*ed depending W&i,r, on that zone. my Government would not have set its hand to that agreement. add, I ,, For Sy'ria, then, this is a parlianrentary matter, a phase political in a attitude ' add:r:;i ; towards Israel, the fortunes of which have no effect upon the life, tne freeaom olitre projce prosperity of the Syrian Republic. {: For Israel, on the other hand, the issue is one of obstru0t independence and indeed of national survival, an issue worthy of evoking all our . years ag( people's resources of tenacity and constructive persistence. If a4 The Government and people of Israel have already felt wronged by tlis Syrian could nc challenge. Here we have a neighbouring State claiming a right both to maintain an construcl attitude of total hostility to Israel and, at the same tirne, to impede the lawful eco- to allude nomic developtnent Israel of on the very ground of that hostility. We claim no right, tioned,be eitlier because of the demilitarized zone or for any other reaion, to obstruct any difficultit legitirnate project progress of economic which the weltare of the Syrian Republic may Council. dictate. An1'thing we ever read or hear about attempts made by' Syria to expand iis prosperity Council r by using its vast rivers and wheatlanrls evokes nothing but unclerstancling in power our hearts. at Claiming no rigltt for ourselves to engineer the economic stralrgulation of ution of Syria, we cannot conccde such a rigirt to Syria against us. , blockaded There is probably no precedent in tlie whole history of international litigntion fora Having countrlr through whose territory a river does not flow for a single inch clairning a right viol:tions to impede the constructive and innocuous use. of that river by a neighbouring iouniry Security'C through rvltose territorf it does flow for tens of nriles ancl which for its waters are Israel the r capable of trtilization. Therefore. before I acldress mysellin detril to the ciraft Resotu- water.way \ tion [s/-71-il] and to the speechcs u,hicl: determine its intqnt, let me again briefly Since recall to the Security council the main features of this remarkable case. completely There is a river called Jordan. wiiich is a non-Syrian river from its first drop of Council water to its last, i to a river neither of whose banks touches the territory of the Republic of , Syria Iamt at any single point. This river flows for 60 triles from its source lsrael i in territory inviting the near Dan to the place where it leaves Israel territory south of TiratTsevi. Only within : ade practic 9Yz of tliese 60 rniles of that course does the uppei Jordan purtrv no, ilrogglr never , rebuke and wholly in the demilitarized zone defined by the United Nations ,i, ,on" from which ;: Astonisl Syrian forces were unconditionally withdrawn. From its point of rising in Israel l2l: i not involve miles north of Lake Hula, which belongs entirely Israel, tp the River Jordan pours its ; with the nr water into Lake Tiberias, which is wholly within lsrael. In the course of tlat flow, the i estimates .! of

,! .arT H .I"

,:. ':l:' {; i'..1.-. :i?:'.1:1: .&':.,., a drop of 800 feet from river falls a height of 1,200 feet within a few miles, including B'not Yaakov to Lake Tiberias. For purposes of normal civilian life, the Government of Israel seeks to utilize this electric power in accordance rare grft of nature for the peaceful purpose of creating great Mr. J. B. Hays and Mr. J. Cotton' men *rtaking to ,ritt, , ptun devised by t{o water experts. piofession devising projects for one country to violate the i depends. not renowned in their for Palestine Electric Corporation, in which water rights of another. /in Israel company called the and which has now been Nations pr*rrn.. of a legal conbession which has never been revoked Organization in his report to use the described by the Chief iof Staff of the Truce Supervision which yould divert rather they o'en lsl3l22l as not beinglin question, is constructing a canal Lake Tiberias' Agreemcnt ils ttian half of the Jordan waters into a new bed arrd retrtrn them to The fall state with while the other half of the Jordan water continued to flow in its original bed. rnillion ted.in of this water into Lake Tiberias through the canal will produce some t70 tuel. All the trued as an kilowatt hours per year at an annual saving of 70,000 tons of imported with the depending water which now flows into Lake Tiberias will continue to llow into it addition of 100 ntillion cubic metres of water which lsrael labour and sacrifice are al attitudr. adding to the course of the Upper Jordan through the drainage of the Hula marshes, a opposed and om or the project originating in the demilitarized zone, whicfi Syria violently three is one of ibstructed bqt which the Ulited Nations specifically authorized and encouraged ing all our years- ago. If any of tire Arab arguments in this present canal case were valid, tlie Hula marshes careful and his Syrirn could not have been in the process of drainage today. In view of tlte in this project, I would like lintain an constructive interest which the Security Council is taking which has not been men- wful ecc> to allude to a factor in tlie Council's moral responsibility power, for our no right, tioned before itr connection with lsrael's quest for industrial andrcivilian the Security ruct an,' dilficulties in this question have a direct bearitlg upon the expiriense of ublic mry Council. Because the Arab States opposed ancl defied by armed force the Security electric pand its Council resolution of 29 May lg4S LSl801l, Israel lost its existing source of resol- tanding in power at Naharayim. Because Egypt continues to defy the Securify Council's acc€ss to the lation of ution of I September lg5l LSl2322l, Israel is denied its legitimate blockaded tanker traffic passing througli the Suez Canal under an illicit embargo' trvo direr;t tion for s Havilg tlrercl-ore achieved a delial ol'power altd i'trel to Israel tlrrough tlie ing a right violations of SecLtrity Council resolutious. the Aralr Stltes, il'yotr ple:r-se' tto$' itlvite g countl}', Security Colncil to close tfie retnaililg gap ip the sicge: to co-operate ac(ively in denying *':lter} tr( israel the modest compensltion olutilizirrg tltc droll irt tlte lcvel of the UpperJordan' u Rc*rlu' waterway whicli llows i1 the territory ol lsrael and of no otlter sovereign State' bric:11 Since two Arab violations of the authority of the Security Council have not completely thwarted Israel in its quest for locally available power, Syria now asks the drop ol Council to plug the only remaining hole. bli; af I am therefo." noi speakini rhetorically wliel I say that Syria is consciously I tcmtorl inviting the United Nations to support and reinforce the anti-lsrael boycott and block- u'ithrn ade piactices of the Arab League, practices which tle United Nations will surely 'aflal rebuke and in no way.n.orr"g.l :t shr.* Astonishment grows deeper when we reflect that the project-underdiscussiondoes l:,? not involve the slightest violation of any private land rights, and is entirely reconcilrble ?ou$ l$ with the mairitenance of all existing irrigation needs, no. mattel which of the varying llox.rtr cstimates of those needs is eventually established. 'i

481 i r .'F'.],

countries r a'a:' 1 :;'.:' giving thes or a normar:-fYilJ:lTffitt$',Hl'3i*;"r';,""t?t; Here then is a picture One o' a en t i rer v * ;il ;"- tr,: *,,. u, ;X' : i:ff *, SiOnS il $-.. agreeri*:'l l,:ill llil impnsoni"r;i::::'. 11' :tr:11'":l: of the armistice ,*"'i'!! unused and ;;"no.".n9 the wli: flowing r.r*".ij?i. 3n::I' pr ,':, waters o1 lisht the .rr.r, thev become';'';;; ""1":::l?;,r:i#:f# I:r ' :{ council and its tittiiii'r.nudiate ", tviti,t..s..uritv tn:1:",ill*t*fi:i:*l by t1" iJ ;;;ri in 1951 or wilrrr. irrrerpreration, be thcmselves *to" .:d ,i.v-.rrr,"itted J"* ::"1.^.1:.itbe faithful to its sion:' ;lrl: of c,. !rc ilJ#;;;: ^'.,i:,;"J, :XliL: Jraer rera,ions is [:fr i atta';, .$ " ;;i ;' *,l,l,,fr T;rgln:;i : f; l'J': J' * 1 T." i. J,Le .,\ Ii il ili# ;il; "1 :T ij*m app. ii#*l i:j : n a ine Cefni:: fl""' ": n i i v ri :I-H U t:1'::" fffiI ,f :: and i;: ,'' :;ffi -.ontt*tr" regional staotfl t#i :"HU" How will b'ol:;:lilJ;"t"!-31;Hi of the iltitaiy iu'urv;';' ojl''i-''""t:^*d ", iuridical grounds r'""1"''"*" "';ffi It;:: tn""i"'*'i'"iJr.,;ir'r.'1Tffit *itt''o'"'- io those tensions tn "li:'f:i'il:::Tffi;; of the .lc challenge to statesmanship course' ' ' Here is a andJ#it*.it*;;;*' constructive ' .general,a whelrning weight t^ #.,i"i;;;;;i;" position I means he Mr. J me, the I 6.StatementbyPresidentEisenhoweronEricJohnston,sMissiorrtotheMiddleEast' other offi 16 October 1953:

1e53, President Eisenttor,"ii"i,"'ix,iforll'oil{i'i'!";:i'::t:rj:.'j{: on 16 October *:': develoT 7. Israel special represcnta"" plan for the Joltttstort a lis s,,,,,|,,o,,o,o:n.,p,,i,,u*eo;"; ;;;;O';i"''tsive 'devetoy bY Bt .discussions *itt, tu,,iiii a,i,ii,-,1,,a a \ fn' a'tttouncenTeil reads follows: ment of the JordanVaU'i' believes that the trt.r:::rr;l,y;*.#:,i,t"i:[iij 0n his a of the united Sta.tes r rhe Government suggestec l"n".vpossible""ilti"'*"aieconditionsofsreatercalmandsta"it""t'i'inthissens!undertaken to reltev' rnent af Th. e'an''ini'tiltii' *'t",itinuouslv prepared ' free world' survey of i*po*"ttl'J"'oi tttt Dulles' matle a first-hand principle tive and oi stu'"' John Foster Last spring' *Jtl*tt'" exclusiot u'" sending t:t within tt o' thi' poti::'^l:i-"* ''"nliii:':"-filiitJ}jf,t" ?l"irr,n.run"" ttre rank of Ambassador t":"lii- the follt personal which migittTft;;""tJ Gurion,,, mv '"""Jrltlti'elwittitft"t region steps "i;l;;;tt'' of tt't t#ffi;,uia"'I 1^l'tJ" ments "ouni'i"' "f or -certain po"iut' bute to un in,pro,.*ent "'':..t3*'ut'jtff,T:lrT":i:ff The Hor The Prin H,;:ll ]:. th a, som e n: i*[.[ X ; ;,,1; }fif,i:",,T 1l :lT,txtTl* ", il,:fl : State of :iF:iH;ffi ;4:::i:,Tx1i'.J"ii!li{l*i"",, l,Tliili:rlh"::ffi Dear Sir The i*i'i'.';#ul'r;"lri:ni!rTti'','t't*',rultlt*#i: . recently n.t4 "r l:yi :tfl has been evtoe^r.',T;H'.lt':?H

482 t t .,,: ;:,. ,:: ;. :!

ficial, Iegiti- countries concerned, rwith the help of the international l. and practices community, to find a means of giving these unfortunite people a'opportunity to regain personal self-sufficiency. $i : Shall the One_ of the majol purposes of Mr. Johnston's mission will be to undertake discus- b5, a Syrian veto . $ slons wlth certain of the Arab States and Israel, Iooking to the mutual development factories and of the water resources bf tf,t Jordan River Valley on nciples a regional basis for the benefit of all to which the people of the area. st the Armistice In his conversations in the region, Mr. Johnston will make known the concern felt terpretation. be by the Government of the United States over the continuation of Near Eastern ten- faithful to its sions and express our willingness to assist in every practicable way rael in reducing the areas relations is of controversy. He will indicate the importance which ihe United States Government .:l ption of peace .af attaches to a regional approach to the development of natural resburces. Such an n and not their approach ii holds a promise of extensive economic improvement in the countries con- ia. ? By finding $ai' cerned through the development of much needed irrigation and hydroetectric power i'* by opening up and through the creation ?.; of an economic base on the land for a substantial proportion ii'l tive enterprise? of the Arab refugees. up with over- It is my conviction that acueptance of a comprehensive plan for the development :I1 of the Jq5dan Valley would contribute greatly to stability ln the Near East and to *; general economic progress of the region. I have asked Mr. Johnston to explain this position to States concerned, seek their cooperation, and help them through whatever means he finds advisable. e l\{iddle East, Mr' Johnston left the United States on 14 October, following conversalions with me, the Secretary of State, the Director of the Foreign Operations Ad*inirtrution, and other officia.ls. [+: B t: nt of Mr. Erit to undertake ,'r_. the develop> 7. krael's consultants'views proposals, f. on Johnston's comments on the Main plan i." i.: by Board of consultants on water Development for Israel, 4 November 1953: iii

peace call for ;l the Near East. i On his arrival in the Middl:e East, the special representatite of President in this sensi- Eisenlower *i wggeste.d as a basis discussion the charles T. Main plan r{,. for fir the unified Deuelov n't ment of the Water Resources of the Jordan Valley Region. This plan was origrnaity ii: survel'of prepared for UNRIIA by the Tennessee Valley Authority. Israel supported the basic principle of the Main Plan but took strong exception to two of its the i: Near East as exclusion features: of the resources of the Litani; the H the Govem- limiiation of uses of the water to land within the boundaries of the Jordan watershed. Israel's reservations are explained tn .,9 ted to contri- the following memorandum by the Board of Consultants to Prime Minister Ben- ,.1 ng, I hrt'r Gurion, -f1 and,were later described in full in the cotton plan of Februory 19s4. Posiblc '!: :ii : + The Honourable David Ben€urion E r*r fiundred,r :i aar::' The Prime Minister :l in $r PPort State of Israel througfr thc irir; ':i: ' tales. ofct t Dear Sir, -tefutper lt b: tlx i.::1.; . recently proposed ri'- "Unified Development of the Water Resources of the Jordan Valley , *,5i: ea rF'm ':4E3 tflt" **lr: r&t m51 :11 Regi-o-n"' This program appears in a 1953 report prepared under the authorization of inter-St the United Nations Relief and works Agency for PaGstine Refugees in,the Near East by Charles T. Main, develr,y' Inc., of Boston, Mass-achusetts. ,; This report has been reviewed by us and the following general comments thereon ,, are submitted: Jor.l l. Since the originar studies PCI'. made by the undenigned many years ago, the desir. abi i' ability of i,ntegrated regionar water dercropment in rhe area'in ,;;;il*; i,r" ,*'" I bt; rrt repeatedly siressed. The logic of maximum beneficial ;r.;;f ;ri;';;;;,fi;' waste in the region has aiways been obvjous. 2. The present Itri r ria report, at reast in principre, pursues this same generar regionar ieti objective' To th, that extent and witlt that iurpose we are, of course, in complete ment. we agree- are at a loss to understand, therefore, why, in a true regional program, use of the Litani the Ve': ;i River in Lebanon has been completely omitted either in analysis program. L. ii - (Sg'l The Litani represents one of the most valuable water resources in the region. After - (sec ,'. power developrnent and some local irrigation use, some hundreds of million cubic Boarc s"ii metres annually would be permanently wasted to the sea. This river has rong studied l..i by us, beginning with its earliest review by the late J. B. I{ays. rilr"irr"r- ceivable that the assets the of Litani River should be completely ignored in arry authoritative program for joint the development of the resources of Lebanon, Syria, 8. Repor Israel and Jordan- No engineering or econornic barriers of any significance stand in the Depar way of integrating the Litani into an appropriate regional plan or deveropment. Although 3' the report is intended to be regional ircharacter and perspcctive,it includes an arbitrary restriction of the uses of the water to within the boundaries of In his rep the Jordan RiYer watershed. We can find no justification for the adoption of a principle course that the nation o_f , to wliich water is allocated should be forced to use such allocation primarily on its inferior lands, simply oounoary. because these latter fall within a watershed Throughor \ the one h The practical significance of such a limiting princip[s is that Israel would waste valuable obtain an rvaters to irrigate unfavourable areas, while it would be prevented from using waters of t these sarne wate$ on much richer soils -- "- which fall beyond the waiershed limits. Such a 1953, were principle, if adopted, rvould destroy the remarkable and vital rich potential of a large for Patestir part of the Negev area. nical Comn We have consistently recommended the development of the Negev area with such the basis ft an]ounts of Jordan River water to which Israel may be legitirnately- entitled. The mental prir reasons for such a sound use in the Negev are clear, as follows: technical st (a) Sorne 2 nrillion dunams of feriite soir are avairabre for food- supply. Harza Com (b) Great acreages for settlement are at hand I deueloped t Local underground waters, - !"1 intermittent wadi florvs. And saline sources could qnd coiltrol be developed to great advantage the if Jordan Ri"er water *a."- ,r"0, as it should be, Ambassi for amplif.ving and regularizing -' the various adntixtures. i interested No significant gr (9) engineering or fiscal difficulties obst/ruct the development of sentatives the Negev. - o I substantial g Neither sane conservation nor international precedent ii.trt", that participating one hand a cou.ntries be deprived .should of their prerogative of using tlieir waters of allocation in necessity 'aj, such a way as to assure the maximum advantages to their citizens. 1 Tiberias as i It is not inappropriate to point . out that, if such a principle were enforcea irl tle tuster alloca 484', : .P-*js :Brad*g*.d,1!q :

authorization of country, we should ha'e promoted uneco,omical in the Near East #rt'#il:J:tjr'ir:ffwn water 4' The works now under construction in Israel, of canalizing mments thereon Jordan for transmission t1e waters of the to- Lake Tiberias,-are not onry not in conflict posals in the report, but fit with the pro. irt" irr.ri ,a*irrurr. rrr.v in no way s ago, the desir. above or any other scheme with the for using iut.-rt.rim u, u *rin-r"r"*"i,"onni.t estiott has br,.cn bution of irrigation for the distri- water for the JorrLn Valiey. now going to 5' If and when a compretery integrated grogram.for regionar water del.elopme,t ri,ti.i",r,, but that general region;r! il:T:,,1,',,,Tili.l$.T?,,ff,.::,; it *illncruae the principres and cotnplete agrr.e. al progranr, thc Very truly yours, in analysis or in (Sgd.) H.\i'. Bashore (Sgd.) J. L. Savage he region. Aftr.r (Sgd.) Abel Wolman million cubi,: Board of Consultants on 1\,ater Development for Israel has long bec'n ays. It is incon- ignored in ln1, non, S),ria, 8' Repo.r\1'President Eisenhower to congress, I955. on the Johnston ce stand in lhr. Deparrmerrt of Stare pubtication negotiations, ent. :uii, irl, r ssu, perspectivr:, it boundaries of ln his report to the congress tlte presidettt of principlc for vear 1955, Eisenlrawer describetl a course of Ambassador Eric Jo,trtstott.r ,),'n,io,irr" the such allocalion i,,;;;;;p;;;r-tlr, *ooa; * t a watenhcd Throughout n 1955 Ambassador i.l Eric Johnston continued his negotiations the one hand and Egypt, with Israel on Jordan, sy..iu uno Lebanon ,r would wrstc obtain an understanding on the other, in an effort to for the f""irrrl"rrl $., ted from usin6 development anO full utilization waters of the Jordan of the !1 River and it, t.iouir.i.s. His negotiations, il Iimits. Such a 1953, were ori-sinalt' which commenced in ntial oX9:l o[r, o*or*o for the u.N n.iier ol a trrgt for Palestine Refugees (uNRwA) and Works Agency ;; il;T;rressee varey Authority. An Arab nical cornmirtee presented certain rech- with such .or,rr..-proposars. as did Israer. the basis for negotiations ou.ing"t;5;.';rlt and trrese served as entitled. Thr of these earry discussions certain mental principres were devcropJa, funda- ano ttrere_prin.iples, together with an lechnical studv prepared by th; important tlarza .ngi;;";ir* nr*. oi trli"nrlt suk*., Jr., Inc. Company, became the basii and the for'o"rlrrp"rottu negotrat ions wrticlt ii',u, year,s developed on overa, otou ,rrinirrti end hadg sources could uote torc oilou tltettrc interesteinteresled Stotes and control of the Jo;dan - for the use1, it should bc. waters. . Ambassador Johnstor made two trips tnterested to the Near East for negotiations with governments ti,e'v"a.. 'N.gotiations the tof sentatives ,l:r,:.* were arso c.nducted with repre_ of Israer in washington. on ,rr3- stbstantial nrr, of the ,*"-rip, to the area, very_ progress was made in reaucing parriciprti4 one Jiir.r"r,"", between the Arab position hand and Israer?s 'on the otn"r. ,parties on thd. allocation rn necessity itt itte iiteristid ;;r";;';:;'i'r' of coordinated water aru"trp-^rnt iiZ', Tiberias and the piotabte iflrzation as a main reservoir- No of Lake i brced in tbc water finar unirororiir;-;ri,;;;;';roih"o o, the precise-: allocations, crthough *e airere,lci'*ru substatttiayl, reduced- subsequent to i \ 485 .,..''. _lI - ---^.r.**l t I

t I I I this I I trip, negotiations were conducted in Washington in an effort to obtain a precise the State ol definition what of Israel was prepared to agree upon. be the objd From the middte of August to the middle of Actober, Ambassador Johnston was Mr. Joh] again in lhe Near East for furth'er negotiations. By their end, all the major technical Unified Der.j problems of an overall plan oppeared to have been resolved satisfactority. Under the been as,' plan that evolved, approximately 60 percent ] of the water of the Jordan River system with th I was to be allocated to Lebanon, syria and Jordan, and the remaining 40 percent ro fir. .] Israel. In view of the Arab concern for ensuring maximum storage of water within Arab anotht', territory and Israel's ] increased interest in using Lake Tiberias as a resetvoir in prefer- out tlr irr ] ence to earlier plans for reseryoirs in the Galilee Plains, it was decided to postpone the intere. y I decision on the use of Lake Tiberias for five years, during which possible alternative gain fr, ,tl I sites for the economic storage of Arab waters are to be explored. If no economic 2. ,h] storage scheme could be found by the end of the period, water over and above that to Jorth . y be stored at lvlagaren on the Yarmuk River would be stored in Lake Tiberias. sustain'. d. The various engineering surveys , that had been made indicated that by the systems and ter: .1 dam structures and irrigation canals plan lof contemplated in the all the area in Leb- Therl ,, ] lanon, Syria and Jordan that could be economically irrigated would be served by the "water". l iwater :t allocations and facilities to be constructed. t the extei. ,.. The basic rights and responsibilities a neutral i of international authority were also I cultivate and accepted by both sides. These elements included the use of impartial and technically i1 l-legev and th! skilled persoirnel who would have established means for ensuring I the delivery of waten { 3. rhe zJ when and as scheduled, would have ready access water I to the course of the river i resources of I system, would be able to make prompt detections of any possible violations, ;i but would I project of Mr operate with the minimum of interference in the affairs and control of the States ever since the i concerned. t An essential element of the system is that it is by way of being automati. The scheni cally self-enforcing. t meant to fulfil the * , At end.of Ambassador Johnston's second visit to the area in 1955, only format t ago and for thr I poiitical c'oncurrence on the plan renruined to t be obtained. c 4. The,Zi; I T factor in the lit \ (to be engagedJ .:.t:l One of th g' Letter from the Arab Higher Comrnittee for Palestine 'L. con'ceming the Eric Johnston Zionists to the F,* Scherrre, nB.' l8 August 1955: course of a qpe #. the establishme &- l;g 'battle for watl *" I\hile the negotiations conducted by Ambassador Johnston r4ith representurives ol existence of pa {" Israel and iL' an Arab Leagte Technical Committee were in pragress, and an agreement nothing in Pales {4+ was in sight, the Aiab Higher Camnittee palestine, headed b), the ex-Mufti of i.: for 5. There ir Jerusalem, urged the Arab States to reject the scheme and any proiect connected with weapon t& rt in the #- lsrael. On 18 August 1955, the Higher Committee sent the fotlowiis letter to Headi o! f despite the obje iL Arab Governments. Foreign Alinisters, the Secretariat General of the Arab League, i and (notrvithsta leaders of political parties and parliamentary blocs: scheme) because I It l i There is no The Arab Higher Committee for Palestine presents to you this lLtter concerning lHr. i deceive the Arab Eric Johnston's Scheme. It is enclosing herewith a lnap and a detailed accountof this it 6. The schr scheme which aims at the exploitation of the waters of the Aiab countries, in thc r the (water) resoi region of the Jordan River Valley, for the benefit of the Zionis! cause and of that of For it will makr Ir z1{16 i } "..."*af,.*.

to obtain a prer.-isa *, State i of Israel. ITr.. .. t'flfdi',ljliJ#::!::Ti[:',]iil'"^^_- and hopes y.o:.:?!::to: tha*tus irnporrant \,a $ question w,r

wrurrn Ariit, iff*fi*trumffi{H+g,t:lr*; another step * raiesrlne. a resertoir ,r; ;';*']rllti;1*^r:y.;rearrr *lui r*11."'"" ru*'*r$in prercr. Scheme g,lui,.;r-rr""*,i'.r'.ll#::r:l . ;;;; is bur I ,19,:r",,0"'*,i. ;i interests,,;fi:",iff laae ffi."r#I.,r,**n's r possible altertratirr sain rrom the ilfi:;h*:ffin#mffi,:l;r*nl. ".i.rtsr rr rtv I Sci tul,$€esrugucs 'r ,;;;;il;l;:tuollo,,ttr : 2. It inID particular, 'er'erand and i r' r',thas i..n'"rrrbr,.n"^be, u'itl'u,il. above?bovp rhatrh., r..-. rorth-3' byu., conr^^ 'Tiberias. j " ,.",11 "jlro,,shed "r,r"i" has been pu, ,1,,"f;,,,.sysrem, i #?:1-,,#ii:i.:,,:,"{{i,*itit',;f,,}"#,.ri:ii:?:iiii#'-':leme all the area in Lt,t, d be served;,;; .,-,*:,:.-t#,:il"fwarer", ;, wlrich is,nee9.o imporranr of i*,*iit,'tr*il:*T":l';ffi::T3frx.t:f:i'i:Jur'r,,. i,Jirl?t^t rhe and eurhority lrror',r,i.r, "rl,#ifi:'li1]-1",t":r",,0_rr. ractors is' rvere rru , "':..extensive tr''vi;;'l;":':1"o^oriJut';;#:tt''t'nsii# .iii:t'lt j#,::::L, lial and technic:rltr ' il'jil:lt:'"a t*oll'Ir'i'r' "T: -'rr-vorts oI TflJ1:ffff'Ji1;;"l;,[;x$i:fl.'".i'Lil:1;The zionist raJestine. l:in;;il;"arer especially in the :i','jJ?lourse of ?;"*:j,r:the rirc: : ;"#j "^" forth a.number >rarions, bur u,eLr!.1 lil?l,i:.'^:f ;;;'l:#:,'il:"i'ilfl:J of scrrern rtrol ol sii* Io:egt of lr{r' Lov ',',:::,,^;';:*'r" f#;1ryf#::1}g##$;'l',iffi;iit';-iffi ;::,#fr ?i::tq,:ilf t*ffTl**,xqi#l[Htri:Tx:r,ff ":?: jiT i' ru n ffiJ J : Ji:, .i.,1 d am e n,a r, : li;:.';: :: i :H :l':::cottsider i of the lif ui: t :+H:L themselves i the Eric Jotrnsroo z,^-3..-1e mo " *nltnl;;ttj;fi{ cronrsts ro rhe *u,.:'-::,n:pit'orr"tnil.?,'.10-t course is what ;; ;;Slryg;; or a soeech *.lliu,..T ,n.:,o;ilj b_"- the ffi i1;ir;ffi :ili::,t',#iri jfii:ryp1ru;iY:x::#i1G,1rrf : '€Pt€spnttt!;r'tt tr: j1]-tte ror u?ter'. or x*xi;;'"ffin*r*,-*fi*ftt#*#i,'ffi;*i5t*fi r,::i:y,:i;'AubLsP *$i:iii#**'i,,:'-!:,fi#,:::i#n*,;ffii;,,T.i:?,:T"rfil r oonccrniq llr t iqixtnr o{ *." :orrrllridl m tirl t ewl o{ rhrl.# i,*1i#fl*.lH##Hff#$ffi**'Ht

ia al-Yarmuk (and all these Palestine lie outside and outside its occupied part), as well as ,o. the Jordan River itself, within the reach of the Zionists and subject to their exploitation for their own interests. This is confirmed by (the fact that) there is (now) a itudy about the unified Deveiopment Scheme (Johnston's Scheme), showing that the tragedy, to which the tragedy of Andalusia, or indeed any other tragedy which has befallen the Arab nation, cannot (by any means) be comparable. ..:, It is undeniable that the Jewish State, which was established by imperialism and Zionism on the wreckage of the Arabs in Palestine, is dominated by economic crises, til€. (special) by political circumstances, and by party differences which it can hardly stand. to!; (This is) in addition to its being subject to the pressure of the Arab economic blockade. It is as if the advocates of the Johnston Scheme are asking the Arab nation to harnes its water resources and wealth to the service of such an aggressive Jewish State and to lend it their support, thereby saving it from its plight and willingly handing over to it their effective weapon which it rvill use to destroy them in the near future. For this reason, 1 the Arab Higher Committee considers that the interest of the Arab j r .i - i nation, in general. and that of the Palestine problem and the refugees, in particulal Jlir:;: i necessitate the outright rejection of the scheme of "The Unified Development of Water these j Resources in the Jordan River Valley", as well as the rejection of any co-operation close' , concerning it. divisit The Arab (Higher) Committee is certain that the esteemed Arab States, having fair ar made accurate studies of this scheme, share in its opinion regarding the great extent of woutd its danger and the great harm it will bring Io Palestine and the neighbouring Arab most, countries. and consequently, to the whole Arab nation. There is no doubt that the have t Arabs will lose nothing by rejecting that scheme, for, (by doing so), they will keep their c their rvater power for themselves, at a timc when the Israel.is alone rvill sUffer loss. In t 1f the Western Powers, and America in particular, really intend to help the under- constn l developed countries, and to develop (for the Arabs) the u,ater resources in the Arab course countries. f tltey should be able to help through schernes specially ttesigne(for the Arabs the Sy. i and having no connectiou with the Zionists. This at It is also possible for the Arab countries to undertdke purely Arab schentes, bene- hopefu -Nile, ficial to tlieir countries and peoples. without having to rely for these upon Anrerican a dollars, with which the foreigners are beckoning in order to attract and entice the turned Arabs and thurs drive them to give their consent to a scheme such as that of Johnston's scheme which in reality aims at tlte consolidalion of the Zionist State, its development and the Thi enlargement of its territory in the very midst of the Arab homeland. and the The Arab Higher Command has attached to this letter a map and a detailed protmd memorandum written after a thorough study - in the light of the poiitical and iniper- it is ine ialistic arlms of Zionism - on the dangerous Zionist ambitions over the Arab waten of knot,'ar Syria. Lebanon and Palestine, as well as on "The Unified Development of water Ihe Resources" Scheme. And urges it the Arab States concerned which have any connec- of the 3 tion with this imperiaiistic Zionist Scheme reject to it definitively. Israel, er

(Greetings and Respects) President of the Arab Higher Eric Joh Contnrittee for Palestine Between (Signed) i4u hamm ed A min al-H usay ni negotiatr

488 :i, r .1, i, a t-t would have provided for the irrigation of some 225,000 acres. This is an area compar- T sustained able in size and in climate to the Salt River irrigation project near Phoenix, Ariz, resourcrs .rt which produces crops valued at 5326 per acre a year. After two years of discussion, t;.- technical experts of Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria agreed upon every important comir': ,.. detail of a unified Jordan plan. F,: But in October 1955, it was rejected for potitical reasons at a meeting of the Arab Arai. r ii,. 1 League. Syria objected to the project because it would benefit lsrael as well as the Arab i atti:', 'r ,, countries. Three years have passed and no agreernent has yet been reached on deve- i No{], rg i loping the Jordan. Every year a billion cubib metres of precious water still roll down * $et L'.s11 the ancient stream, wasted, to the Dead Sea. , :Ca:r Now turn to the Nile, one of the largest rivers in the world, which flows for 4,000 offc' i it miles from the heart of Africa to the Mediterranean. Its watershed of more than'a dev; ':"?,, million square miles extends into six States - Tanganyika, Uganda, Ruanda-Urundi, up : lr,, Ethiopia, the Sudan and Egypt. beneir: .', In the absence of any basic international agreement for over-all developrnent of the Ii Nile basin, Egypt's plan to construct a nrammoth S1,300,000,000 dant at Aswan the M;'.1," brought strong objections from the Sudan and Ethiopia. Tltese two countries, and some others, felt that Egypt was more interested in erecting a symbolic pyrarnid of the twentieth century than in developing rvater resources to bring substantial improvement to the lot of a depressed people. il. In proposing the high darn at Aswan, Egypt regarded a comprehensive blueprint, and,ttre klown as the Century Storage Scheme, for the whole Nile watershed. This plan, Caifii, favoured by the Sudan and Ethiopia, includes a series of diversion and storage works :;,,, along the entire river to benefit each State concerned. The scheme contemplates a new dant at Aswair but on a smaller scale than the gigantic structure projected by Nasser. The first . The boon to the Middle East of an inraginative water progrant can scarcely be; other thin, further than Isrrel, where ww only exaggerated. If proof were necessary, one need look no I I sound planning, a systematic program, modem irrigation techniques and ingenious usel but more t of every available drop of water have produced remarkable results in a singleYecade. contmumq Since i 948, Israel laas more than doubled its cultivated irea, from 4 I 2,000 acres to I about a rniliion. It has guadrupled its area of irrigated land, from 75,0C0 acres in 1948', -- -.The Coun' to 306,250 acres today. And lsrael has embarked on a larg+scale program to conserve held at tht land and water tttrough modern methods of reforestation. suggestion All this has been accomplished without the benellt of the waters of the Jordan - - Hav Rir-er, which constitute the country's greatest singie sonrce of water. Israel's original the Palesti plan to tap the Jordan north of Lake Tiberias has been held up for five years by the practises d Arab States, which still refuse to agree to any plan for sharing the waters of the river u'lrich the with the Israelis. United lia Israel's new water development prograrn, approved in 1956, indicates that the insultingly country must soon have Jordan River water to move ahead vlith its program of agri' authorities cultural expansion. The plan makes it clear, however, that the country is counting only - Hav on that share of the river allocated to it in the Jordan Valley plan agreed to by Arab River Jord engineers and water experts during my negotiations in 1955. object of r But the fact remains that rvliat Israel has done even without Jordan River rvater can to establis be equaled throughout the Middle East, and indeed surpassed in countries blessed by countrie6, greater supplies of water It is clear that water resources are adequate to assure a - rnp t -."rillj $ an area compar_ sustained and fiourishing growth Phoenix, throughout the area. But the availability Ariz., resources hasn't been.enough of these years in the past,'and it isn,t .";r;h ,u of discussion, The crucial question ;;] Ao i,. rernains: ere tire erau states prlparrJ every important commitments to *rr,. the necessary to develop these water resources? No one else can *ik" thi, decision. n eetirg of the Arab ii ,rrt be made by the Arab states and the Arab states arone. up to now ttrey truu" proved as well as the Arab themselves unwilling to do so; their attitude and their actions^ have n reached been pr"cisery the reverse or ,rrr, needs on deve- Nothing less is required to be done. of the erau siates than that they forego ater still roll down get together political turmoil and ol regional watershed developments. Today' a matchless opportunity beckons ich flows for 4,000 to the Middle East. president Eisenhower offered it in 1 his recent proposal to the united Nations c"nrrJ-a*"mbly of more than.a for a regionar I lgtelggggnt agencv' wjll Arab grasp , Ruanda-Urundi, 'up jhe States this opporrunity? will they to the iicilisiiv of-abandoning .hrriilism J for irgionrtir,n i, rearizing"tllrt-.nice ihe ricrr benefits offered bv the Nile, the Jorian, the-Tigris opment of the and tie orh;;-;;.r, of their ta,d? fierd of green g.utt dam at Aswan in ttr. Jordanian deserf spru.a rhroug,out *" i;,I;:l*,'at "un countries, and ,| I ic pyramid I :1. i of the -t --4 ial improvement -r. I I l1' Arab sumntit decides to divert headwaters, ive blueprint, statement of the council of the Kings I and Heads of State of the Arab League I\{enrber countries on its First ,$I . This plan, Cairo, Session, . l3-17 January I964: I and storage woiks templates i a new '.; b1, Nasser. The first Arab summit conference, herd rn cairo can scarcely be i1 January r964, decided, among other iltirtgs, ott the diversion of the headwaters than Israel, where of the Rivir Jordan. The ptan itself was only hinted at in the communiqui and ingenious final issued ,, ,in, ,rrrltrrion of the cottference, use but more details were reveared by tlre s)cretary-Generar of the single decade. communiqud Arab League. The finol of the summit reads as r 412,000 acres to fallows: . ,0C0 acres in 1948 The Council of the Kings and Heads to consen,e of state of the Arab League, in its first session held at the Arab L'eague Headquarters in criro, from 13 to 17 Jiluary 1964, upon the suggestion of President Gamar president ers of the Jordan Abdur Nasser, u"it.a Arab Repubric; Having considered the threat "rir,, r. Israel's original - and repeated use of force by Israel since the Palestine Arab population, it evicted , five years and ...rt"d'in their territory a by the practises discrinrination colonialist State which { aters of the river against the Arab minority, adopts ;,;;;;i;;::,#,:1J wlich the fait accompli is tlre tasic " reature.J]outicontinrourty-it.resolutionsof the u,ited l'jations u'hich affirm prt.rrin. i- tes'that the irr.l,tr.,, Arab peopre to insultingly ignores repatriation, and . - program trre many condemnations"iir,", of adopted , of agri- authorities; it by the united Nations is counting oniy' Having discussed Israel's to by Arab - new, and aggressive pran to divert the course River Jordan, thereby greviously of the .ro**.riri the riparian rights of the Arabs with the object of realizing Zionist designs River water can ro. .ipunrlon through immigration and Israel,s plan to establish further centres of aggression ntries blessed by against the security and progress of Arab countri,es, thus endangering world peace; ate to assure 3 ln pursuance of - the legitimate-tne right of self_defence; I Fullv persuaded or - J.r"i-*;-;f;;;*tine Arab peopre lo ,"rr_

, 491 t t t determination and liberation from the Zionist colonization of their country, believing i played a that Arab solidarity is the means to off-set imperialist designs, and convinced of the spring ol need for the realization of equitable common Arab interests to raise the living standard mination of the people and to implement programmes for reconstruction and rehabilitation; year. Has therefore adopted the practical resolutions essential to ward off the immin- - :,, ent Zionist menace, whether in the defensive or the technical domains in the field of 3 Df ,r organizing the Palestinian people to enable them to play their part in the liberation of their country and attain self-determination. wli The Council's meeting has brought the Kings and Heads of State to unanimous agreement to put an end to differences, clear the Arab atmosphere of all discord, thr: AI suspend all campaigns by information media, consolidate relations among the Arab an.. ro,q States, ensure collective co-operation and reconstruction and frustrate aggressive expansionist designs menacing all Arab States. The Council was also of the view that the convening of more of these meetings at supreme Arab interests, and decided that 12. :- ,,:, the highest level is a matter necessitated by I the Kings and Heads of State should meet at least once a year and that the coming meeting be held during August, 1964, at Alexandria. The Arab Kings and Heads of State declare that the Arab nation calls upon those nations and peoples of the world which cherish the right to self-determination to trsrael's ra Minister extend to it the staunchest support in repelling the new Israeli aggression. t within These leaders affirm that, in adopting this just and defensive stand, they will the regulate their political and economic relations with other countries in accordance with the headu the policy of these countries toward the legitimate Arab struggle against Zionist designs measures I in the.Arab world. statement Tlie Arab Kings and Heads of State also hope that all those Afro-Asian countries which placed their faith in the Bandung principles and committed themselves to the last week Addis Ababa Charter and which sacrificed a great deal in fighting imperialism, fought tation of raci:rl discrimination and have been and are still being subjected to the Zionist and Israel's wa attacks imperialist dangers and designs - particularly in Africa - would extend \their true anr support and assistance to the Arabs in theii just struggle. military an These leaders also hope for the support of all free nations which believe in peace Whater based ou justice. --General ol The Arab Kings and Heads of State further affirm the belief in the justice of the trative and Arab struggle antl in the need for supporting this struggle against imperialism in the Jordan occupied South Yemen and in Oman, as well as their belief in the justice of the prevent thr national struggle in Angola and South Africa and in every part of the world, that the ing the sali: cause of liberty and justice is integral and indivisible. The de The leaders confirm their faith in solving world problems through peaceful means scssion was in accordance with the United Nations Charter and affirm theirbelief in the principle several dec of peaceful co-existence among nations and in the policy of non-alignment. League's D Inspired by this conviction, the Arab countries welcome the partial nuclear test-ban decisions d, treaty of Moscow and have hastened to sign it. They support the concerted efforts tion of Isra made towards achieving total and complete disarmament in ways that can safeguard planned in world peace. States again .:r Inspired by their atiachment to the principles of peace basqd on equity and justice, From tl world these milita ,:," and their determination to participate in the economic development of the ,:i the Arab countries not carriedr {*. through the'elimination of economic and social under-development, It- \!r'' +.I ar 492 ';+:. ir.

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.";:.,1; ntry, believing played a major role in the conference of Economic Development held in cairo in the inced of the spring.of 1963. They pfde: themselves tp participate with the same spirit and deter_ iving standard rnination in the world Conference of Development and rrade which will be held this ilitation; )'ear. the immin- The Kings and Ileads of state welcome the African unity charter in which they see n the field a new hope for peace, of freedom, and equality in Africa and the world. liberation of Moreover, they affinn their deteriination to consolidate AfreAsian co.operation, which began in earnest with the Bandung Conference of 1955. to unaninrous The Arab Kings and Heads of staG declare their devotion to their duty towards f all discord, their Arab nation, towards the dignity of the human family, and in the sei-vice of peace the Arab and prosperity in the world. te aggressive

meetings at decided I2. Israel \fill Protect its that vitar rnterests, statement to the Knesset by prime Minister t tJre coming Blrkol, 2l January 1964:

upon those ination Israel's reaction to the to -- first Arab summit came in a speech to trte Knesset by prime Minister Eshkol. He decrared that Isra,ei woutd draw water from Lake Kinnereth , they will tvithin the limits established the h tlnified Plan. Referritry to tlte Arab tltreat ta divert ance with the headw*ters of the Jordan, he addid that "Israi! u,ill 3i. oppose unilateral and illegal ,, onist des;gns measures by the Arab states and wiil act to protectitsvitar interests.,;rirr rr.r;i";; statonent follows: ^ an counlries sclves to the I-ast week thirteen Arab Heads of State and representatives met in cairo at the invi- isrn, fought tatjon of the Egyptian President in order to discuss rvays of sabotaging the State of Zionist and Israel's water plan' At the end of the conference a statement was issued containing tlreir tnre attacks and threats against rsraer. and *;;;t;;;; ;;r,t";."; ol.irron, in both the military and the technical spheres. ln peace whatever was obscure in the statement was spelred out later by Secretary- General the of the Arab League, who announced the establisrrment of miiiiary, stice of the trative and ;;i- financiar machinery for the execution of what he calred .,il;;;;;;rl;;; ialism in the Jordan waters" - which means the diversion of the headwaters stice of thc prevent of the Jordan to their waters florving into Israeli territory, with the thrl thc further purpose of increas- , ing the salinity of tlte water that will remain. The deliberations of the conference were herd in camera, but before the first ful mruns session was closed to the public, president the of Egypt managed tc revear the gist e prinuipit' several-decisions of adopted in r960 and 196l by the Councir 1 oltr, Arab League, the League's Defence Council, and the Supreme Council of the Arab General Staffs. r test-hrn decisions These i dealt with military- and engineering measures designed prevent eflort s to the execu- -- tion of-Israefs w.ater plan. president The oiEgypt expressll, stated that the measures,r safegu.rrd planned in 1960/61 were to have been based on unired mlitiry oo.r";;;;; #i,,'i States against Israel. i jus(irx, From the Egyptian President's .. statcment it is clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that the u'ori,l these military if and engineering prans to the detriment of Israer'r rtch;;;; sountnrl not ;;&,#ri carried out, it was onty because the practicar conditions " r"quir.i-**re lacking. .

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1 ii.!-.,idi l *': i

5;. : f'-i the Arab Heads of State broke up, Yeail :'. t" A few days have passed since the conference of I -r..; of the Arl:i, : and it is important that the world should be aware of the deplorable significance part in the decisions it adopted and the statements it issued' All the states that took .r: the Charter of the en:, i' i conference are members of the United Nations Organization' Under i-,,. from any Ui''; i united Nations, it is their duty to refrain not only from the use of force but t. i.. principles of the aS,i. ,'.13 i.. :' threat of force against any other country. Compliance with these ;- -r' from the nightmare of 4;,, pI !: ..' united Nations Charter is humanity's only hope of emerging peace' recent times the J,.,, ,:In i war and building a better world founded on justice, iarv and In world and i}rir world has become more sensitive to the vital need for a relaxation of aspiration for ',,da regional tensions and the avoidancb of the danger of anned violence' Tl're of to all nations Ali r ,.1 , peace in our time comes from the hearts of all mankind. It is common Arab States openly Au;'. :. .' and all continents. And it is just in these days that the Heads of the another State of l'r, .., and expressly proclaim thai they planned acts of aggression against intention to revive Arai: ,.. . entitled to equal rights in the family; of nations, and announce their the q;ir.i;: these plans and carry tilem into effect. the cooperatir Is it not clear that those who make such proclamations regard tlre charter-of been demon- But United Nations as no more than a worthless scrap of paper? Has it not t} on the Charter had been strated afresh that the sigrratures of Egypt and the other Arab countries against w of the United Nations are of no value wliatsoever? to which eleven ye; we find ourselves confronted with a doctrine ol international relations morality' It makes a begin to d there is no parallel in our generation. It is contrary to ail law attd and his colleagues of We ha, mockery of the repe ated d-eclarations by the Egyptiarr President of the Unifie their devotion to peace and workl clisarmament. It runs contrary to the mainstream relaxatiorr of of interna international thought in our days which has as its ce1rtral objective the agreement tension and the strengthenitrg of peace. will be' it its neighbr Slhile it is not yet clear ihat the practical resulis of tlie Cairo conference aims that of a numb has already brought out into the clear ]ight of day aggressive and destructivt were recognize should shock the conscience of every lover ol peace. THirte'en Heads of State I the purpose of run to wasl moved to assemble and deliberate together. How deplorable it is tliat .- tens of millions of - Israel v their meeting was not the social and economic advancentent of their under one For pa people. How horrifying that the only aim that could bring thern together the tities of wa ioof was their lust for aggression against a neighbouring State' but the flre suppor The Cairo conference has laid bare a general posture of hostility to Israel; Here the plete utilizi main subject with which it dealt was our country's national water scheme' picture and hensive rqg conference arrived at a dual conclusion: it painted a distorted ofourlegal entirely on ments from constructive enterprise; and it proclaimed a plan of sabotage, which is based This, negation and envy, violation of law and deliberate aggression' tl Arab propaganda tries to describe lsrael's water project as a unilateral and illegal system to r a grain of truth in this networ scheme, which violates the rights of the Arab countries. There is not of the forbidden this picture. This campaign Jf dirtottion deliberately passes over the history t themselyes. scheme, its legal basis, and the true facts. Presi- they Eleven years ago the Arab States and Israel agreed to the mediation of the ;r are ent this.part of in Israel's tr dent of tJre United States, who sent the late Ambassador Eric Johnston to plan the utilirjtion.of convinced,b the world as his special envoy to work out an agreed regional for m: the the waters of the Jordan, the Yarmuk and their tributaries. At the operung u)l world 'fl submitted are negotiations, the Arab iountries on the one liand and Israel on the-other meant t{ three sejarate plans for the allocation of the Jordan and Yarmuk waters' For almost In closin

494 State broke up, years Ambassador Johnston conducted parallel and coordinated nificance of negotiations with the the Arab Coverntnents and with Israel. ook part in the After prolonged and exhaustive discussions, in which Charter of Arab, Israeli and international the argineers took part, Mr. Johnston produced a Unified Regional plan e but which ru., Urr.J from any upon accepted rules and principles rinciples of international law and procedure. This ptan of the assured Syria and Lebanon of all the quantities of water demanded by them in the re nightmare of Arab plan, without any cuts whatsoever. The Unified Plan allocated to the Kingdom of nt times the Jordln all the water required by it for the irrigation of its irrigabre areas. of world and This allocation was based on a detailed, objective survey."In other e aspiration for words, the needs of Jordan, Syria and Lebanon *"r. rrtiv satisfied by the unified plan. to all_nations And lnaeed, as I Arnbassador Johnston testified in an afticle published in the NeIr yor* finr,rr-ii'lO States openly August 1958, the Arab countries and Israel agieed to tlre Unified ptan from every point another State of view connected with its technical and other merits. In october 1955, howev.r, th. ntion to reyive Arab League decided against ratification of the PIan, not for any reasons pertaining to the quantities of water allocated, but on the "any Charter of deliberate principle or opposing the cooperation - even indirect - with lsrael. t been demon. But the years three of negotiation were not in vain, An agreed on the Charter allocation of water had been determined, vrhich was founded on criteria u.""pird ttre *orij o;;r, ;;; against wh\ch the parties & concerned had made no objection. An,c now, in 1964 ions to wh.ich eleven years after - the beginning of the negotiations over the Unified plan, Israel will ity. It makes a begin to draw its share of water from Lake Kinnereth in accordance with this plan. colleagues of We have undertaken to remain within the framework of the quantities specified in .- nainstream of the Uirified Plan - and we shali honour this undertaking. Accoriing to the principles relaxation of of intemational law governing water questions, the refusar of one party 1o reach rr agreement * with a second party does not give the party that r6fuses ttre nce will be, it righito p.r;;;; f its neighbour drawing its reasonabre share tive from a river flowing truougll Ihe ;;;;; aims that of a number of States- The accepted law pertaining to the allocation of water does not i. f State were recognize the right of veto or the right compel :.i purpose to the second party to allow its *ri;;; :i_ e of nrn to waste millions of Israel will not be the first country to draw water from the Jordan-yarmuk system. er under one Fo1 the past years two the Kingdom of Jordan has been drawing considerable quantities of water from this system in the framework of its Yarmuk pian. This plan enjoys ; but the the support of international development agencies, which aim at advancing . Here the plete the com- utilization of water resour.., in country, pursuit r legal and in of the goal of compre. hensive regional development. Syria and"rrry iebanon entirely on are also drawing all their require rnents from the headwaters of the Jordan. This, then, is the situation: lj. and The Arab countries are utilizing the Jordan-yarmuk illegal system to meet all their needs, while they seek to prevent Israel dlawing its slure from ,lf of truth in network. tory lhis They believe, apparently, that what is permissible to them should be of the forbidden to Israel. Their aim is to injure Israel - even at the cost of injury to themselves. They wish to convince the world that, f ihe Presi- in the name of hostiliiy ;;;;*i t they are entitled to prevent the flow of the Jordan 4' lhis part of headwaters i" th;;;;;;;rr}; in Israel's territory. I note with satisfaction that tr,. *o.ia g.n..rt r. :: 3'. ilization i, hr; j. of convinced . by this theory of hostility and hatred. It is becoming "";;;; ins of the ,l.rrg and lo ,; ,1: the world that the arguments "l.arer '. :_ submitted of the Arab countries hr". r;;*;; ;;;;il-#;,'b;; are meant to deny Israel's right to exist. three ,, $,.] IncIosing,IwishtoclarifythepositionoftheGovernmentofIsraeI.].... '*rr \ *. r:;ijl.li.,r. '. 495 . *lF!& :,'i.i:. it: rs., .i:+ i.tl :: . . *d .r. ii:.:i..t.:.,:: IIT6ffi Israel will draw water from Lake Kinnereth within the limits of the quantities Iaid other Middl down in the Unified Plan. diversion pr Israel will oppose unilateral and illegal measures by the Arab States and will act to I Arab ril::- , protect its vital rights. ' cationl ' We believe that world public opinion will not be misled by malicious mis- opposi': 1: statements and will reject the campaign of incitements and threats against a legitimate If : ::.r and constructive deveiopment project. This area needs the benefits that will flow from 1 Sincer, i,r waters, .:; its and not incitement to bloodshed; it needs economic development, not I Fredr: {} barren strife; cooperation, not envious hostility; the utilization - not the waste - of its I Assisi,, ,t S; water resources; the advancement of peace and not the fomenting of war. The more firmly world public opinion rejects hostility and aggression, and encour- ages useful and constructive development, the more it will help the Arab Govemments to abandon a policy of reckless adventurism, and will help our area to advance along 14. Tlr:,' ,"1'.i the road of progress, constructive endeavour and peace. 19*"1'

Detailed pic...

I3. "tlnited States Opposes Spite Diversion Projects", Letter by Assistant Secretary of waters were t State Frederick G. Dutton to Senator Kenneth B. Keating, 17 June 1964: to the plans wastefully ta thal iunction Hon. Kenneth Keating, Department of State, plonned dam U.S. Senate. l+tashingtan, June 17, 1964. of the Jardar mcm of watei Dear Senrtor Keating: Thank you for your letter of I June in which you request clarification of certain points made in the Department's letter of 25 May. You asked specifically rvhether we regard Israei's present water diversion progrant as consistent with the 1955 unified plan. At a news briefing on 6 tr{ay, a Delhrtment of State spokesman who was asked this question replied ptrblicly, "We have been in- formed by the Government of Israel that its use of the waters fronr the Jordan Valley will be vrithin the allocations of the 1955 unified plan." We have every reason to believe that this statement is true as regards the present Israel project, and we therefore support Israel's current efforts. In addition, as the President stated in the joint communiqud of 2 June on the occasion of Israel Prime lr{inister Eshkol's visit, the United States and Israel will undertake joint studies on problcms of desalting water, as part of the effort being undertaken to solve the problem of scarcity of water, and hope for progress rapid toward large-scale desalting in Israel. ! With regard to 5,our question as to whether the United State$ would take action to prevent other lvliddle Eastern States frorn frustrating this plan militarily, a long- standing principle of U.S. policy in the Near East is or.rr opposition to aggression. This policy was expressed in the late President Kennedy's statement of 8 May 1963, in vrhich he rnade it unmistakably clear that we oppose the use or threat of force. He also said that, "In the event of direct or indirect aggression w. *olld support appropriate courses o[ action in the United Nations or on our own to put a stop to such aggression." As'stated in the joint communiqu6 during Prine Minister Eshkol's visit,?resi- dent Johnson specifically reiterated this statement of U.S. policy. In the evenli, that ,' ,t ---.---... J, -. , .--!1- -f-*-.;. ,--

the Israili plan by other counter- quantities laid other Middle Eastern States attempt to frustrate di,ersion projects, the United States would oppose such projects if ii appeared that the waters in excess of the combined allo' es and will act to .4rab riparian States combined were offtaking U.S.. cations to the Arab States specified in the 1955 plan. The form of any such prevailing at that time. malicious mis opposition would of course depend upon the circumstances please hesitate to let me know. ainst a legitimate If I can be of further assistance, do not t will flow from Sincerely yours, evelopment, nol Frederick G. Dutton, he waste - of its Assistant Secretary. r. sion, and encour- rab Governmenis to advance along 14. The Arab Design to Divert River Jordan Sources, in Al-Gumhouria,24 October 7964:

Detailed plans of the Arob States concerning the diversion of the Jordan River head- Secretary of waters were revealed in the Cairo daily Al-Gumhouria on 24 October 1964. According 1964: to th7 plans, the Hasbani would be diverted partly to the Litani and flow tpith it wuiTutty to the Mediterranean Sea, and partty to the Bqnias in Syrian territory" Frorn that junction, the combined flow of the Banias and Hosbani wauld be dit'erted to a to be used tlrc irrigation ent of State, planned-of dam on the Yarmuk River in Jordaniqn territorv for lose betweert 200 and 250 , June 17, 1964. the Jordan Valley through the Ghor Canal. Israel would mcm of water.

certain ication of (See nap on next Page) diversion prograrn t , a DePartment of e have been in- the Jordan ValleY every reason to , and we therefore in the joint com- 's Visit, the United water, as Part of ater, and hoPe for

d take action to militarilY, a long- to aggression. This 8 May 1963, in force. IIe also t of :{: approPriate to such aggres' ol's visit, Presi- & . In the event that ,:i ::" : ri I floataya \ tpar6tt {t

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oErt rtxg55 \t:*^"'^ RCIDOM oEri stlttx of inalienable rights, limitations, rerel rg irr tinr EI IAI6C uvra5til of aaB^s Io Y miu national law. Do.mo_mo d Th of Egypt's cond hardly ct anything a aud to Egypt itself. nrgr rltrlrte In Mair 1948, a Egyptian unlrae /'' Gover Suez Canal. This i arnr. ment I 164 in February ir^t*,orl that any "vestiges HULC.r \ and 1li6 spirit of t \ contrary, on 6 F .!.tsaP^ blockade (Docurn tI @ rnission, whiclr urvao et'x€r:s in 1951, appealecl in { r€rss E Council, on G€aELr ! I Sep I was contrary. to t xEot r,-;inEcx^l (Document 5). I Egypt did not

BOUXO^Rr,. blockade, but Isr xlrEn....---.-*..-".-..-...-..-.-"*.{. 1954 on, tlie Sovi x4ot...... -...,.-._..-__--.-..-_--*:_. _ decision in Israel's EIIS,ITO caillt.._-.-.*... :rj* Israel's demancl o€slo,{eo ..-...... c^f,At {r* Ambassador Eban'E 5ptfi0.....-*.----...--...... c 5' t2). Potentially 0r llatb--u b-i -J -{ o r ll.ird