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Tag: Middle East

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By nharnish

WEll, it's been a fun journey in Jordan. My research has come a long way in the last months and I'm happy to say I'm leaving this country with so much more knowledge then I had before. My argument is much different then I thought it would be coming into this semester, but I know that this reflects the difference in how much I know about water scarcity and water development int he region.

I've finished my paper, and the argument revolves around the concept that Jordan must work with it's neighbors to tackle the growing water issues. In particular, I believe that Israel offers the best choice in this endeavor. Not only would both nations benefit from mutual water projects and policy, but they could accomplish so much more then being on their own. Projects like the Red to Dead canal are perfect chances for Israel and Jordan to establish political networks and methods in which coordination between he two could be improved. Without efficient coordination, the Red to Dead will fail and be a complete waste of money and time. A successful system of communication would guarantee success and allow similar projects to begin. I also make arguments for projects that revitalize the Jordan River Valley, and looking into the possibility of a Med to Dead canal.

Many of the things necessary for greater water sharing is dependent on Israel's ability to open up and make concessions. For instance, revitalizing the Jordan River Valley would mean the Stat of Israel letting water flow into Jordan once again, taking water from the Sea of Galilee. The benefits of such action far outweigh the loss, not only would Israel be working with Jordan to save the Dead Sea (which maintains a 600 million dollar industry for both nations), but it would push jordan to share its water resources in the south and provide water for the central locations in both countries.

I've had an a amazing time learning more about a subject I love. While I faced a lot of challenges, especially in the interview process and getting officials to be blunt with me, I overcame many of them and certainly learned more about research. Additionally, I plan on continuing my research in the water field, and combining what I've done here with previous work I've done in Egypt. I know I will return in the future, water development has become such a huge part of my academic career that I can't avoid it.

So, farewell Jordan, masalama!

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By nharnish

My research has been progressing a lot better then I thought it would here. My ability to access primary documents through my job wsdfaith the USAID has been a remarkable tool in getting facts quickly and easily. While currently working on a donor conference in the nation, I’ve been able to reach out to people I’d never have access to otherwise. These documents and interviews have been remarkable influences in changing my opinions towards my research. For instance, I came into Jordan with negative views towards a particular project that the government is petitioning for.

This project, called the Dead to Red sea canal, would channel water from the Red sea through Aqaba all the way to the Dead Sea. Water would travel over 180 kilometers of downhill travel. The idea is to save the Dead see by adding water to it (every year the Dead Sea shrinks) and use the flowing water to generate energy and water throughout the south. A nuclear power plant would power a desalinization plant and provide clean drinking water for communities and agriculture. My original thoughts stemmed from prior research on a similar project in Egypt, called the Toshka project. The immense failure of the Toshka project led me to believe that Jordan would be unable to take on such a massive challenge. However, through my research I’ve found that the main reasons for the Toshka failures were aspects that the Jordanian government is meeting head on. For example, the Egyptian government fails to coordinate proper funding and prior research for their canal, and the Jordanian government seems bent on providing accurate research and coordinating with Israel to provide efficient funding. Steps like these, among others, could very well provide a successful solution to Jordan’s water question. My research paper is finally taking form, and my argument has changed significantly since landing in Amman. I strongly believe Jordan has the potential to save them from water scarcity. Yet, there are still many issues to tackle. While the Hashemite kingdom is working on many projects, I still argue they are still not doing the necessary things to progress their situation.

For now, I’m waiting on an official report from the Ministry of Water and Irrigation being published December 2 before wrapping up my paper. The report revolves around the Syrian crisis and how it as impacted water usage in the region. I currently have access to the report, but I cannot use its materials until the final draft is published. I’m very curios to see how the government will portray the situation.

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By nharnish

As the Semester keeps going my research has expanded and taken a new form in Jordan. The past month has been a real eye opener for my topic and the route I want to take with this research.

My original research topic was directed towards the Jordan river and how Jordan utilizes it with its water scarcity issues. However, after some travel and eye opening interviews I've decided to tweak it. I spent my october break seeing the other side of the Jordan River Valley, the West Bank and Israel. Apart from an amazing adventure and great scenery, the experience was crucial fro my research and offered a lot of knowledge. I was astonished a the differences 50 kilometers could make. Not only is the West Bank and Israel much greener, but they actually have still bodies of water int he landscape! I spent a lot of time looking and asking questions about the water issues and Israel and the West bank, and the outlook look a lot better then Jordan to say the least. Israel's direct access to the Tiberius River, and their three very successful sanitization projects contribute a lot to this. The West bank is a different story, they rely on a quota from Israel for their water, and underground reserves as well. Even so, their farming capacity and water availability still outstrip Jordan's.

After witnessing and learning about Jordan's neighbors, I've decided to look more at the relationship between Jordan and Israel over the water within the region. With this in mind, my most important source will be the peace treaty between the two nations. After a first glance, the treaty calls for an annual tribute of 50 cubic meters of water to be given to Jordan from Israel's supplies. However, many of my sources have told me that in times of stress between the two nations Israel has been known to give Jordan 50 cubic meters of sewage water, as the treaty does no specify the quality of the water or its source. Aspects like these are worth looking into, and I will explore them further as my research develops.

With my question in mind, I will spend the next month visiting popular water and development sites while I continue to work with the Ministry of Water and Irrigation while I intern with the USAID. My internship is my best door to find potential and valuable sources for the research, and I've already lined up some great interviews. This saturday I will be visiting the Northern Border facilities for a water conference, which I'm hoping will shed some valuable light on the subject.

For now, my main question are as followed:

What is the future of the water treaty between the two nations? How will water politics influence the future of Israeli and Jordanian relations? and lastly, can Israel be a key player in heling Jordan overcome it's water scarcity issues?

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By nharnish

اهلان!! Hello again form Jordan

My time here has been quite the adventure, and my research on water development in the region has been fruitful indeed. Oe of my first milestones to gaining access to the world of water scarcity around me was o find a quality internship within the development field. I was incredibly lucky to be accepted as an intern with the USAID project PAP, or Public action Project with water, energy, and the environment.

The oppurtunaties that have arisen from this internship have given me the chance to see and interview numerous official I would not otherwise have access to. For instance, the PAP hosted a conference in Wadi Rum a few weeks back and I was able to attend. The conference was a chance for the Ministry of Water and Irrigation to show off the new DC Aquifiers. This short term water solution taps into underground water to provide the city of Amman with clean drinking water for a short time until the government is able to find alternative water sources.

The Aquifiers will take a large part in my research, and I plan to explore them fully while I'm here. My own opinion on them is one of concern. I believe that the DC Aquifiers are a great way to ensure that the people of Amman aren't without water, but I'm worried that this short term solution could be viewed as as a long term solution in the eyes of many who are not knowledgable about what exactly the Aquifiers can do and how much water is available through them. I believe that the Ministry of Water and Irrigation must do more public media campaigns to ensure that individuals conserve water one the Aquifiers start pumping, and continue to do so until more solutions are found. Furthermore, it is imperative that the government agencies continue to strive for alternate water sources and solutions.

Another great oppurtunity the USAID has given me is the current project I'm working on. This project is a grant given to a local water company and the Ministry of Water and Irrigation to spread awareness about using water valves in water holding tanks within the households. There is a common misconception int he city that the valves reduce the amount of water that goes into the tank with every refill, and this is obviously not true. The campaign is directed to families and households who have cut their valves or do no own one to explain the necessity of the valves and provide information on where to find the right type.

More recently, I've been looking at the very real concerns over refugee camps and their impacts on water sources nearby. There is a large concern in the region that refugee camps are poisoning nearby water sources and drawing too much from clean sources. The illegal wells within the camps draw unregulated water and are done without proper guidence of foresight. So far the government has not addressed this issue, and I'm interested to find out when they do.

Lastly, in the coming weeks I will be given the oppurtunety to sit in on lectures by local water experts both within and outside the Ministry of Water and Irrigation. I've been working on my questions for them these past few days and I'm excited to see what they have to hear.

Jordan remains a beautiful paradise within a region known to be plagued by unrest. I'm confident in its future and the water issues I once thought to be immensely dire seem to be challenges that the Hashemite dynasty can overcome.

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My friend Stephen feels the freedom of an open desert at night.
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A view of the deserts and mountains of Ma'an
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The Nabataean monastery sits atop one of the highest hills in Petra

 

While I did a lot of cool things this weekend—camel riding in Wadi Rum, sleeping in a Bedouin camp, romping around the desert, exploring the ancient city of Petra—I really only brought one significant thought from it, one experience for which “cool” is an inaccurate understatement of its reality. It was a weird convergence of realizations that led to a state of mind I've never really been in before.

After walking through an expansive, once-thriving, long-dead city, wealthy enough to support a population of 20,000 people in the middle of the desert, with complex architecture and intricate water conduit system, I climbed to one of its highest points, where the monastery is located. I stared at the building's huge facade, in awe at its sheer size, but more so at the people it stood to commemorate. Then I hiked over the peak of the mountain to overlook the sublime scene of the surrounding rift valley, and for the first time in a long time felt completely insignificant. Like the strong breeze that had just kicked up could blow me away like a grain of sand without remorse.

But at the same time I looked at the people around me--American, Jordanian, British, Italian, and others—and felt a sense of connectedness to them and the world around me. But standing with them in the face of the universe we looked out upon, I felt very at home in this pile of insignificant grains of sand, who, despite wildly contrasting lifestyles and cultures, really have a lot in common. I felt free and happy to be even the smallest part of something so sublime.

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By nharnish

!!!!مرحبا

Hello!!!

Imagine a city sprawling across a hilly plain, crumbling ruins, and a constant bustle of people wherever you look. Amman greeted me with open arms, although the dry climate and constant noise took some getting used to.

My time here has already been filled with incredible learning experiences and excitement all around as I've learned how scarce water truly is in Jordan. Imagine our surprise when the other students at the Jordanian Institute of Diplomacy and I learned we would have a water quota of 2 cubic meters each week.

Well.. What happens if you run out? ...continue reading "اَلأُرْدُنّ‎ The Kingdom of Jordan"

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By Adar

Though I’m not leaving Israel for another week and a half, and I won’t be in the United States for another month, my semester is over and this is my last written reflection on my time abroad, for now.

Before I came to Israel, I had already known quite a bit about it. My family has been here for generations, and I grew up visiting every couple of years. But at the end of the semester, I realize that I really knew nothing five months ago. I have learned so much, both through my history and politics classes and through going out into society, that I have such a different concept of what it means to be Israeli, Jewish, or just someone in the Middle East. Israel is a combination of so many things: the politics of the region, the history of a nation, the ethnic clashes of humanity, the growth and development of western society in the 21st century, the search for spirituality, and the intense blending of traditions from all over the world.

It’s a country that is misunderstood by everyone, even those who live here, and I don’t pretend to be any different. But from what I’ve been able to observe, Israel is not a violent country. It’s a country filled with scared people, who put up intense psychological and military defense mechanisms to protect themselves. There are people in Israel who are fanatic, and in many different directions. There are people who do not believe in peace because they have never known it. There are those who are perpetually optimistic and those who really couldn’t care less about anyone else and who just want peace and quiet in their lives. Sound any different from anywhere else?

I think I’ve developed in three particular ways this semester. ...continue reading "The Last: Com"

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By Adar

My last day in Haifa felt like the shortest day I’ve ever had, though in reality it was one of the longest. I was up at six, going over my notes for my last written final in Hebrew class, which I took at 8 and finished at 10. I then had my last goodbyes to the staff at the international office. I did my laundry, helped my friend buy a bus ticket (the website was in Hebrew) and ordered a sherut, or shared cab, for us for the evening. I then locked myself away from 11:30 to 4, working on an essay that I really wanted to finish. In Israel, or at least at the University of Haifa, papers are due after the semester has already ended. On the one hand, it means you have a little bit more time to do them, but on the other it means you can’t really start a break until you finish, up to a month and a half later. So within those four and a half hours I managed to crank out about eight pages worth of text in addition to the two I already had, and sent it in. I’ve still got two more papers to write to look forward to. ...continue reading "Leaving Haifa"

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By Adar

Being a Poli Sci minor, and taking mainly courses related to conflict and societal cleavages, I often think about Israel in terms of the deep scars and strife that bog down the country. But I wanted to devote this post to some of the things that I see day-to-day that make me say, "that's so Israeli". Sometimes I think they're weird. Sometimes genius. Sometimes just different. And sometimes hilarious.

1. Animal-shaped iphone cases

Mainly bunnies. They're large and neon plastic cases that are supposedly cute.

2. Straws ...continue reading "Israelisms"

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By Adar

Somewhat similar to our Fall Fest and Spring Flings, the University of Haifa puts on a “Student Day” once a semester; hiring big name performers and DJs in between, handing out giveaways and t-shirts, and selling food and drinks. Our Student Day was last Monday; right before Shavuot, and I thought it would be fun to go.

I think I heard that there were about fifteen thousand people there, and I’m quite sure that seemed accurate. It was packed in an outdoor closed-off area, with a giant stage at the front and a sprawling grassy area where everyone stood. It was themed WhiteFest, probably for Shavuot, and the majority of people wore white. Looking out onto the crowd and seeing the same color on thousands of people made the atmosphere so much more collective, I think. The bands were not my absolute favorite, but we were all still happy to be there and dance until the small hours of the morning. ...continue reading "Student Festival"

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