Shifting regional relationships have affected Jordan’s access to these shared resources throughout the country’s history. In several cases, Jordan has received less than its equitable share of the resource, as upstream neighbours overexploit rivers and groundwater sources through damming, diversions and pumping.

After the peace treaty in 1994, the implementation of a canal linking the Red Sea and the Dead Sea became the focal point of Israeli-Jordanian cooperation. In February 2015, Jordan and Israel signed an agreement to implement the first phase of the project at a cost of $900 million over a period of three years.

The future also depends on politics. Many attempts have been made to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict over the last 65 years. Whether and whenever this is achieved, a central component of the resolution will be the issue of shared water resources.

All water resources in Palestine are shared, mainly with Israel. Shared water usually needs to be governed through agreements on allocation and use between the different parties.

Given the issues discussed above regarding the amount, reliability and quality of surface water sources, the Jordanian population relies mainly on groundwater for its domestic water supply.

Almost all of Israel’s natural surface and groundwater resources are shared with neighbouring countries, except for the Kishon River, which is so heavily polluted that it is no longer suitable for use.

Part of the river’s watershed extends eastward into the West Bank. The river’s water level and quality have been deteriorating since 1955 . . .