Ministry of Environmental Protection: The World Bank Sea Canal will not restore the Dead Sea, but may even endanger it

However, in the position paper the ministry agrees to a pilot on a limited scale 

More on the subject on the science website

• The Dead Sea - proposals for solutions. Dr. Assaf Rosenthal
• We thought we got rid of the Sea Canal, the World Bank thought otherwise. Dr. Assaf Rosenthal

The Ministry of Environmental Protection announced today that it strongly opposes the World Bank's plan for the annual discharge of more than 1,000 cubic meters of desalination by-products into the Dead Sea. These days, the World Bank is promoting the project under which a desalination plant will be built in Jordan that will desalinate the water of the Red Sea, while the brine will be released on a large scale into the Dead Sea.

According to professional works of the Geological Institute, the injection of seawater and brine into the Dead Sea in the amount of more than 350 mlmXNUMX may lead to an outbreak of bacteria and algae that will color the sea red and release hydrogen sulfide into the air, which will cause severe odor hazards. In addition, the discharge of the by-products of desalination (brines) into the Dead Sea will result in the formation of gypsum in the water. These processes will lead to the complete destruction of the sea and will completely destroy tourism in the area. Even in the bank's own reports, extensive uncertainty is described regarding the consequences of carrying out the project in its full scope, and therefore the Ministry of Environmental Protection opposes carrying out the project in this scope and immediately without examining the consequences on the ground.

Based on the precautionary principle, the ministry supports the implementation of a pilot on a limited scale which will allow, on the one hand, the flow of considerable amounts of water into the Dead Sea, thereby mitigating the drop in sea level, and on the other hand, to examine the changes and the effects of the flow of water on the entire ecosystem. The transfer of the brine will be carried out through a pipeline limited in scope to a closed and controlled complex in the south of the northern basin of the Dead Sea, where it will be possible to accurately examine the environmental effects of the move. This move will provide much greater certainty regarding processes that are currently predicted only by computational models. The execution of the pilot will allow the flow of larger amounts of water in the future and save the sea in a responsible manner. It is not possible for the integrity of the sea and the ecosystem, as we know it, to be based on economic considerations alone.

The position of the office

February 12, 2013
B. Adar, XNUMX

Red Sea/Dead Sea Peace Leader (RSDS) - the position of the Ministry of Environmental Protection
These days, the work of reviewing the programming of the Red Sea/Dead Sea Peace Carrier project is being completed, the inspection reports are being published and the preparation for a public hearing that will be held starting next week in Jordan, the Palestinian Authority and Israel is being completed. The conclusions and recommendations of the World Bank will form the basis for the decision makers regarding the continuation of the project. Ahead of the public hearing, the Ministry of Environmental Protection wishes to express its position, and this after an in-depth examination of the World Bank's reports. It is important to note that the World Bank presents in-depth and serious work. However, the recommendations regarding the way to implement the project are not in line with the ministry's policy. The Ministry welcomes the project as a whole, but at the same time, out of national and regional responsibility, it is argued that there is a necessity to take preventive care, while examining the environmental effects in implementing the project on a small, controlled and careful scale, as opposed to implementing it on a large scale as recommended by the World Bank, which may F estimates to cause irreversible environmental and ecological damage. In addition, it is important to note that although the restoration of the Dead Sea is one of the overarching goals of the proposed project, the focus of the World Bank, as reflected in the reports, is on building a drinking water supply system for the Jordanians, while giving great weight to the economic aspects in relation to other aspects, including environmental-ecological aspects .
introduction
The Dead Sea is one of the unique natural treasures of Israel, and of the world in general. For several decades, the sea has been in a continuous process of destruction, which manifests itself in severe damage to the unique ecological fabric in the Dead Sea area. It is clear to everyone that if preventive actions are not taken in the coming years, the destruction will be irreversible, and will seriously damage, in addition to the environmental-ecological damage, also social, historical, economic and cultural values, in the entire area around it, both on the Jordanian side and on the Israeli side.
The Dead Sea lies at an altitude of about 400 meters below sea level, drains the Jordan River and, to a lesser extent, water from springs and streams (most of them are streams), and is a drainage base from which there is no way out. The Dead Sea is a unique environmental resource of its kind in the world, and is an important tourist site. Its chemical properties also made it an economic resource for industry. The salts and minerals dissolved in its waters are used in the chemical industry in Israel and the Kingdom of Jordan, among other things, to produce potassium, bromine and magnesium.
During the last fifty years, the level of the Dead Sea dropped by more than 30 meters, and as of 2011, the level reached a height of 425 meters below sea level (Chart 1). This rate of decrease is increasing, when in the last year (2012) the drop in the level reached a record of 1.5 m. The drop in the level causes, among other things, the formation of sinkholes, changes in the water regime that feeds nature reserves on the shores of the Dead Sea and changes in accessibility to the water line.

Source: Geological Institute
The pumping of water from the Kinneret and Yarmouch for the needs of water supply in Israel, Jordan and Syria, as well as the pumping of Dead Sea water by the chemical plants in Israel and Jordan, created a deficit in the water balance of the Dead Sea (inflow of water versus evaporation), which currently reaches about 800 million cubic meters per year. Its negative effect is fundamental to this process, and is added to another man-made intervention that promotes processes to accelerate evaporation in the southern Dead Sea area for the purposes of utilizing the minerals found in the water solution.
The deficit is steadily increasing due to an increase in water capture and the reduction of natural flows, as a result of the construction of new reservoirs and capture of flows from streams in Israel, Syria and the Kingdom of Jordan. As a result, the rate of level drop today is over one meter per year.

The main problems arising from a drop in the level of the Dead Sea are these:
• Extensive appearance of sinkholes (collapse pits), large spaces in the ground along the shores of the Dead Sea (on both sides): more than 1,000 pits opened, some under buildings and roads. These spaces endanger vital infrastructure, including main roads, and therefore also endanger human lives.
• Damage to the systems of streams that drain into the Dead Sea - the drop in the level accelerates the processes of channelization and drifting around the Dead Sea and is another threat to the infrastructures.
• Rapid retreat of the coastline leaves areas of swampy mud behind. These areas make it difficult to access the sea, and the visual changes involved harm the tourist image of the area.
• The retreat of the coastline has serious ecological consequences. Among other things, it seriously harms the beauty of the desert and the natural systems of the seashore, mainly due to the drop in the level of the groundwater west of the water line.
• The retreat of the coast necessitates the constant relocation of infrastructure, both of the tourist sites along the shores of the Dead Sea, and of the Dead Sea factories, which draw seawater from the northern basin and lead it to the southern basin. Also, one of the major infrastructures that will be established in the near future is the salt harvesting transportation system, from the southern basin to the northern basin, when it will be necessary to move the facilities for unloading the harvested salt every time there is a significant retreat of the coastline.

The World Bank estimates the total future damage as a result of the deterioration of the Dead Sea at approximately three billion dollars for the next sixty years.
In recent years, teams of experts from the World Bank have been engaged in checking the programming for the Peace Leader project ('The Canal of the Days'). The project is regional and includes Israel, Jordan and the Palestinians. Three goals were defined for the project: (1) saving the Dead Sea from destruction; (2) desalination of sea water for the needs of the regional partnership for the project and especially for Jordan, which is located in the watershed; and finally, (3) creating a common basis for regional economic cooperation for the promotion of peace.
Through several recently published reports, the World Bank states that the programming for the construction of the project is acceptable, while it was examined from an economic, environmental and engineering point of view. Based on the feasibility tests, the World Bank states that if the project is not implemented, the main purpose of which is to transfer sea water and brine from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Dead Sea, the level of the Dead Sea will continue to drop steadily, causing extensive environmental, economic and social damage. Furthermore, the programming report of Coyne & Bellier states that "a pioneering project, on a small scale, that can be implemented in a simple and easy way, in such a way that it will allow obtaining results during the detailed planning, without significantly delaying the overall schedule of the project". In addition, it is written: "This approach can be planned for the purpose of a significant analysis to assess the effects of mixing Red Sea and Dead Sea water, as formulated in the framework of the Dead Sea modeling test." Although the precautionary principle requires a test course through a pilot project, on the other hand the World Bank states that there is no economic viability, and therefore it recommends that it is necessary to approach the idea of ​​development in the stages of the pilot project, but on a larger scale than is suitable for the knowledge we have at this time.

The World Bank proposal
Among the variety of alternatives examined by the research teams, the World Bank recommends an alternative that it believes is optimal, the main one being the construction of a pumping station at the head of the Gulf in Aqaba, which will pump a maximum volume of two billion cubic meters per year (until the target year 2060). The water will be lowered to the north and transported through a tunnel and a system of pipes, to a point in the watershed in the south of the Jordanian steppe and from there it will continue to be transported by gravity to a complex in the south of the northern basin of the Dead Sea, where a combination of desalination facilities will be built. The combination will provide approximately 850 million cubic meters of drinking water per year, of which 60 million will be allocated to Israel, a similar size to the Palestinian Authority, and the rest will meet Jordan's needs. The brine (the concentrate of salts that are the by-product of the desalination process) will be flowed into the Dead Sea through pipelines, with the aim of gradually stabilizing the drop in the level of the Dead Sea, and later even bringing about the restoration of the past levels of the sea. It is also planned that the height difference between Aqaba and the southern Dead Sea, which stands at 423 m, will be used to build a hydroelectric power plant to produce electricity, which will supply electricity to both Jordan and the Palestinian Authority.

The environmental risks and uncertainties
The establishment of the project in the proposed scope carries great environmental risks, which may lead to considerable irreversible damage to the Dead Sea and its surroundings. The main risks are:
• Biological outbreak - mixing Red Sea water with Dead Sea water may cause a biological outbreak, mainly of bacteria and algae. The management threshold of the upper water in the water column in the Dead Sea beyond which a biological outbreak will occur is 10%. The premise of the programming report states that the phosphate found in the Red Sea water is the one that may cause the outbreak, since it is an essential component for biological development. Such an eruption may cause the release of hydrogen sulfide into the air. At the same time, an assumption was established, based on modeling results only, that the phosphate tends to bind to gypsum, and therefore it will sink to the depths of the sea and will not be available for any biological development. This model assumption has not been tested practically, and certainly poses a great risk if it is decided to test the system on the scale recommended by the World Bank. Furthermore, it is agreed that mixing Red Sea water with Dead Sea water will result in the formation of gypsum. It is not known what the relative amount is, as well as whether there will be a temptation that will cause the gypsum to settle or alternatively it will float in the water column. From this it is also unknown whether there will be enough available gypsum in relation to the amounts of phosphate in the water for the purpose of tying them up and depositing them in the depths of the sea. It is further claimed that as a result of the high presence of phosphorus in the Dead Sea water, this component may suppress biological development due to its being at a toxic level. This issue has also not been confirmed in practice, and cannot be relied upon, except by examining it on a small scale.
Today there is turbulence in the water column of the Dead Sea and there is a certain degree of uniformity in terms of the chemical composition to the depth of the water column. The flow of seawater into the Dead Sea will result in the stratification of an upper layer with a relatively low salinity concentration, due to differences in salt concentrations and differences in water viscosity. It is estimated that the quantitative threshold for a substantial change that will lead to a biological outbreak is over 400 million cubic meters, while it is not clear what may happen up to the threshold of 1,000 million cubic meters and above, which was determined in the programming report to be critical and certain for an outbreak.
• Gypsum sedimentation - as mentioned, mixing Red Sea water with Dead Sea water will result in the formation of gypsum. There is uncertainty as to what amount of gypsum will be obtained, whether it will become a suspension in the water column (and whiten the water), or crystallize so that it sinks to the bottom. Each scenario has significant environmental consequences, which require the precautionary principle to be followed, with a controlled examination and on a small scale.
• Pollution of aquifers - pollution of groundwater reservoirs along the length of the Jordanian steppe as a result of leaks in the transfer of seawater to the Dead Sea, either as a result of an engineering failure or as a result of an earthquake or a destructive event that will damage the transmission system.
• Air pollution - the need to supply electricity to the desalination facilities will necessarily require the construction of power plants, will lead to a significant increase in the volume of greenhouse gas emissions in Jordan, which will inevitably affect the air quality in the entire region.

A research work by the Israel Geological Institute confirmed the concerns regarding the environmental effects that are the result of mixing Red Sea water with Dead Sea water. The research, which was mainly based on modeling, indicated the main phenomena expected from the mixing of the two water sources: changes in the characteristic water column of the Dead Sea; chemical changes and programming for various chemical reactions; Algal blooms and bacteria in the water; Plaster creation and more. It was also determined that there is a quantitative range for the discharge of seawater or brine, ranging from 350 to 500 million cubic meters, beyond which all the changes described so far will occur in the body of water of the Dead Sea. The World Bank reports ignore this threshold set by the Geological Institute. In various places in the report it is clarified that there is recognition of the expected dangers and the necessity to continue to check them. For example, it is written that: "Some significant environmental and socio-economic impacts have been identified, but there is an assessment that they can be moderated to an acceptable level (in the case of the impacts on the Dead Sea, this still needs to be verified with discharges over 400 million m1,000/year in regards to the proliferation of red algae) ". Despite this, rather strangely, the World Bank states that the lower threshold for sending water from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Dead Sea will not be less than XNUMX million cubic meters per year. In light of the widespread uncertainty, which is also expressed in the World Bank reports themselves, this position regarding the extent of the flow of seawater, from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea, is not acceptable to the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and it is impossible that the main part of its support will be based on considerations of economic feasibility. In light of the contradiction between the statements in the World Bank reports, the issue requires a more in-depth examination based on a pioneer project, and in addition obtaining additional information through a three-dimensional model.
In the calculations of the World Bank, it is indicated that the upper limit of water pumping from the Gulf of Aqaba is 2,000 million cubic meters, and this is to reach a volume of desalinated water of 850 million cubic meters in the target year of 2060. Hence, the final amount of brine that will flow into the Dead Sea will be approximately 1,040 milliliters per hour. This means that in order to meet the goal of stabilizing the level, at least another 160 mm/h is needed. In a scenario where it is intended to restore the past levels of the Dead Sea, taking into account the increase in the surface area of ​​the sea and the management of the upper water layer (which will necessarily increase the evaporation rates), then an additional amount of over 200 mm/s (about 10%) is required beyond the threshold The highest recommended by the World Bank. Since this amount is beyond what is required for desalination, additional investment in the infrastructure and operation of transporting this water to the Dead Sea will be required, which will not yield a capital return. Since the financial analysis of the project is based on the utilization of 80% of the pumped water for desalination needs (a balance of 20% desalinated water available for allocation is calculated), while assuming that Israel and the Palestinian Authority will purchase the surplus water that is beyond Jordan's projected future needs, then in the Bank's view world, it is not economical to include the addition required to stabilize the Dead Sea level in the overall plan. Because of this, the World Bank did not include this required amount in the upper threshold, citing several options for achieving this additional future increase, which most likely will not be implemented at all. It is important to clarify that the main reference to the feasibility study is based on a discharge threshold of 2,000 mm/h, when in fact this amount will probably not be sufficient to achieve the goal of stabilizing the Dead Sea level, and certainly not to restore past levels, but will achieve a significant slowdown in the level drop.
It is worth emphasizing that in examining the needs for safe water in Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority, an allocation was determined for the Palestinians that is not based on an analysis of the Palestinian water system. Furthermore, the premise is that the regional partners will agree to pay the costs estimated in the reports, which are more than three times the cost of desalinated water in Israel today. This premise casts great doubt on the economic programming of the project, and this certainly puts a question mark as to the implementation of the supplement required for the restoration of the Dead Sea, which is beyond the upper sufficiency threshold established by the World Bank. Furthermore, assuming that Israel and the Palestinian Authority will agree to purchase the desalinated water at a price that is not economic at prices known today, the economic, engineering and environmental implications in relation to the infrastructure required to transport the desalinated water, from the combined desalination facilities in Jordan, to the consumers in Israel and the Palestinian Authority, were not taken into account.

It is important to note that most of the conclusions presented in the programming report regarding the environmental risks are based on models (saturated with assumptions) only, which raise a huge difficulty to tap from them regarding natural processes that occur on such a large scale. In the World Bank's report, in which the environmental consequences were examined, it was explicitly stated that: "Giving adequate attention to implementation, supervision and monitoring, will allow the project to be implemented without unacceptable environmental or social effects as far as the drinking water supply phase is concerned. However, there is still uncertainty regarding the possible effects of the project on the Dead Sea and the possibility of stabilizing it, without causing irreversible damage to its cultural value." This uncertainty regarding all expected environmental hazards, and especially those that have not yet been observed, requires the adoption of the precautionary principle, lest we sin and cause irreversible damage that will result in the destruction of the Dead Sea and its surroundings. It is important to note that the reports published by the World Bank do not include the reference submitted by the Research Management Super Unit (SMU), and this raises questions about the recommendations included in this reference.

The position of the Ministry of Environmental Protection

It is clear to everyone that before our eyes a process of increasing deterioration of one of the unique natural and cultural treasures of Israel and the entire world is taking place. There is a necessity to find an adequate solution to curb the deterioration, which will lead to an environmental, ecological and social recovery in the entire Dead Sea area, both on the Israeli side and on the Jordanian side. Because of this, the Ministry of Environmental Protection supports finding an integrated solution that will achieve all of the overarching goals set for the project. Furthermore, the ministry will support any solution that extends even beyond these goals, such as the restoration of the Jordan River, which in itself constitutes an ecological, cultural and historical asset.

At the same time, due to the enormous ecological uncertainty involved in implementing the project in the way recommended by the World Bank, the Ministry of Environmental Protection does not see the possibility of immediately promoting the project to the extent recommended in the economic-engineering planning report, this out of a manifestation of national and regional responsibility, for the future of the Dead Sea and its surroundings . The World Bank rules out the possibility of carrying out a pilot project on a small scale, and instead recommends the implementation of the project in stages, while examining the environmental consequences during the first stages and dealing with them. This recommendation is not acceptable since it is irreversible in light of the expected economic investments starting from the initial stages. If he finds that there will indeed be great environmental damage, for which no solution will be found and infrastructures will need to be dismantled, the chances of this will be low due to the counter claim regarding the investments that have already been made. Furthermore, the World Bank's recommendation to abandon the execution of a pioneer project, and instead to pour a large amount into the Dead Sea (which will reach at least 75% of the final target amount), carries a very great danger of causing hazards, which after discoveries may not be able to be restored.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection supports the conduct of a pioneer project, as proposed by the chairman of the Israeli Steering Committee, Prof. Uri Shani. In the body of the feasibility report it was specifically stated: "An independent pioneer project, on a small scale, that can be implemented in a simple and easy way." It will be possible to implement such a pioneering solution to obtain results during the detailed design phase without significantly delaying the overall project schedule. Subject to satisfactory results from such a pioneer project, it will be possible to develop the project on a full scale immediately, or alternatively, to continue this part together with the development of the main project in stages as described below." It was also noted that such a pioneering project could be implemented in a body of water within the Dead Sea, when it will be dammed using earthen or rocky embankments. Such a project will provide more realistic indications in relation to which it will be possible to examine the veracity of the modeling findings, which are the main basis for most of the recommendations so far.

The World Bank has a number of counter-arguments, which, according to him, negate the benefits of implementing a pioneering project:

A. This project, due to its limited size and according to the findings of the Geological Institute, will require an examination of the amount of water discharged that does not exceed 400-500 mlcm. According to the World Bank, any amount below 1,400 cubic meters will continue to delay the restoration of the Dead Sea level, while it will continue to decrease. This argument contradicts what was written in the report itself and is therefore baseless, since it was specifically stated that the pioneer project will be implemented for a limited time, and it does not seem to be a significant delaying factor. Furthermore, even if a relatively small amount is poured into the Dead Sea during the implementation of a pilot project, this will make a certain contribution to slowing down the rate of the level drop as well as to the further development of knowledge.

B. It is claimed that: "any initial development phase that includes a capacity of less than 950 mlcm of Red Sea water, will not be able to satisfy the full demand for drinking water that was agreed upon in the project". First, it should be noted that for now, it is not clear whether there are agreements between the designated countries regarding the quantitative scope, and whether there are explicit commitments to purchase desalinated water originating from the project. Moreover, this claim unequivocally contradicts the analysis of drinking water consumption demands presented at the beginning of that report. The water consumer that is in dire straits is Jordan, and it has been determined that the demand in Jordan by the year 2020 will amount to 230 mlcm, which means that a total of 510 mlcm of raw water is required. Even if we refer to the total amount intended for this target year, which is 350 mlcm, only about 780 mlcm of raw water will be required. Furthermore, if we look at Jordan's demand target for 2030 which is 310 mlm690, then the amount of raw water that will be required is XNUMX mlmXNUMX. Therefore, the threshold claim of the World Bank has no logical basis, at least not one anchored in its own report.

third. It is claimed that the size of the lagoon proposed for the project will not be able to absorb a large amount of Red Sea water discharge, at least not as required by the report of the Geological Institute, i.e. at least an amount of 400 mlcm. This claim was not tested at all, since the proposal for the construction of a dammed lagoon was reflected in the report in a general diagram only, with an arbitrary location of the dam embankment indicated. It was necessary to examine and adjust the size of the lagoon according to the planned mass balance and according to the duration of the examination of the pioneer project.

d. It has also been argued against that the Halutz project will not provide a complete information base regarding the environmental and ecological effects in relation to the entire Dead Sea, and it is likely that this claim is true. But at the same time, in relation to the extreme view of the bank, there is a large range of uncertainty between the almost complete reliance on models, and the examination of the meanings from an almost complete implementation of the project. The findings of the Geological Institute unequivocally determine the threshold of the amount of water that can be discharged, beyond which there is absolute certainty of the possible damages that will be caused to the Dead Sea. Carrying out a pioneering project, even if it will involve a large financial expenditure, delaying the supply of benign water, and especially by not shedding light on the scope of the full uncertainty involved in the project, it will certainly provide greater certainty than relying on the existing models, and will certainly allow for an informed, controlled and careful examination , both of the consequences for the discharge into the Dead Sea and of the professional ways of dealing with the problems that will arise.

Another proposal put forward as part of the programming report is a phased development, with partial implementation (phase one) of one pipeline that will supply only 333 mlcm. Against this alternative, baseless claims were also made, and necessarily contradictory to what was written earlier in the report. For example, a significant delay in the planning and implementation of the more advanced stages of the program was argued against.

To mention that in the proposal of the pioneer project it was specifically stated that the running of the project could be carried out at the same time as advanced planning processes. There is no need to wait several years, and certainly not wait 10 years, to receive results as indicated in the report, and only then initiate the next planning step. It is also claimed that such a delay for a decade will cause damage to water consumers. It is not clear why it is not possible to build two pipelines in one place, thereby reaching the desalination target of 80% in the initial phase (target year 2020), when it is likely that the results of the tests will be received within a few years and not just at the end of a decade. The most outrageous argument is that "there is no economic viability for this alternative". It was determined that the project would result in a loss of between 3 and 4 billion dollars. No detail is given for this assessment and it is not clear what it is based on. But beyond that, how can you claim that when this phase is supposed to be the key to the existence of the entire project? If it is indeed decided to implement the initial scope of the project, as recommended by the World Bank, and it is found that the damage caused to the environment is devastating, where in the report is there an assessment of a loss analysis in such a scenario? An assessment of expected ecological damage must be weighed against the apparent benefit of establishing the project of the size proposed by the World Bank. It is clear that the implementation of the project in the way proposed by the World Bank, in light of the huge investments and the scope of the infrastructure, will not allow the project to be stopped, even if destructive effects are discovered and the implementation of the project will in fact contradict the super goals that were set at the beginning of the road. It is hard to imagine the existence of an insurance company that would undertake to insure such a scenario.

In the economic evaluations, it is claimed, among other things, that there is a clear negative correlation between the drop in the level of the Dead Sea and the scope of foreign tourism in this area and vice versa, that is, the restoration of the sea level will inevitably lead to an increase in the scope of incoming tourism and thus an expected profit of about 3.5 billion dollars. The question is, will this trend depend only on the level? In a scenario where the water quality will be damaged, as a result of a biological outbreak, and/or the water will be bleached as a result of the formation of gypsum, is the trend in the scope of tourism expected to increase even then? For this it should be noted that no analysis was presented in the existing reports.

In examining the financial programming, a list of preconditions was specified which, in the opinion of the authors, will be placed by the financing institutions before they commit to financing and allocating funds to the project. This list did not include the necessity to reduce the uncertainty regarding the expected environmental consequences and the economic costs that would be involved. In the financial scope of this project, it is necessary to reflect all the possible risks for the potential financial entities, and precisely a pioneer project can significantly reduce the uncertainty, thus ensuring their harnessing.

In light of all of the above, the Ministry of Environmental Protection strongly opposes the implementation of the project in accordance with the strong recommendations of the World Bank. Instead, the ministry supports the establishment of a pioneer project that includes a desalination plant in the Gulf of Aqaba on a small scale only. It is proposed that the transfer of the brine be carried out through a pipeline limited in scope to a closed and controlled complex in the south of the northern basin of the Dead Sea, where the environmental consequences will be examined for the required number of years. The pioneer project will provide information as well as great certainty regarding processes that are currently predicted only through models. If he finds that the consequences are destructive and unacceptable, then the scope of the economic and environmental damages that will involve the cessation of the operation of the project, will be infinitely smaller compared to stopping the implementation of the entire project, as recommended by the World Bank.

This alternative was examined in relation to many other alternatives, including the transfer of Mediterranean Sea water to the Dead Sea, or the transfer of desalinated water from the western coast of Israel to Jordan. The team examining the alternatives pointed to the alternative of establishing a desalination facility in Aqaba as the most feasible alternative, while examining all the consequences, including economic, environmental and engineering. The Jordanians have extensive tourism development plans in the Aqaba area, so inevitably the demand for drinking water in this area will only grow. Because of this, there is great logic in establishing a desalination facility at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba, the discharge of the salinity from it into the Dead Sea, not only will allow a controlled examination of the mixing of the two sources of water, but will also certainly ensure the preservation of the unique marine ecological fabric found along the coasts of Aqaba and Eilat.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection does not rule out the possibility proposed by the team examining the alternatives, in relation to an integrated alternative, according to which a desalination facility will be built in Aqaba and in addition to a facility on Israel's Mediterranean coast, with both providing drinking water to the Jordanians. The facility in Aqaba will lead the brine to the Dead Sea, and will allow a long-term, controlled and careful examination of all the meanings arising from the mixing of Red Sea water with Dead Sea water. This alternative will certainly save many resources, which will inevitably increase the programming's financial applicability. Also, a tightening of relations between Jordan and Israel will inevitably be achieved, with the Palestinians also being able to benefit from such a move.

In light of the increasing deterioration of the Dead Sea and its surroundings, the method of extracting minerals from the Dead Sea solution by the chemical industries, both Jordanian and Israeli, cannot continue in its existing form (which includes pumping raw water from the northern basin and evaporation in the southern basin), and the factories will be forced to examine technological alternatives for efficiency, while A significant reduction in the amount of raw water pumped over the years.

In the alternatives report, the issue of restoring the lower part of the Jordan River was raised, as it has great value from an ecological-environmental, cultural and historical point of view. The Ministry of Environmental Protection considers this destination very important, whether it is decided to restore the flow in it using high-quality settled water or whether by injecting benign water. At the same time, in light of the master plan for Israel's water economy for the target year 2050, it will be difficult to see how the State of Israel will allocate precious water to the extent required to revive the Jordan River,

While it requires ever-increasing volumes to implement expensive desalination facilities, with all that implies. The team examining the alternatives determined unequivocally that the use of drinking water for the purposes of restoration or stabilization of the Dead Sea, from any source of water in Israel, is not practical or worthwhile. A plan to restore the Jordan River will only be acceptable given a scenario in which excess effluents will be received in Israel that will not be in demand in the agricultural sector. Furthermore, the flow of water down the Jordan requires the Jordanians to agree not to pump it before entering the Dead Sea. Today, in the negligible flow that exists along the length of the Jordan River, it is possible to see on the side of the Jordanian border many pirate pumping facilities for agricultural purposes. Because of this, there is no certainty that the flow of water initiated by Israel down the river will lead to its restoration or to the restoration of the Dead Sea levels.

Since this is the way things are, we are obliged to continue to examine the planning for the restoration of the Dead Sea through the transportation of seawater, for all the consequences involved, including the environmental effects. In light of all the things said so far, it seems that this is the only source that can form a basis for the restoration of the Dead Sea.