Rivers of Fire

In a never-ending battle to match population growth with food and energy production, the countries of the Middle East have been frenziedly developing water resources without considering their neighbors' needs. The inevitable result has been more frequent and increasingly bitter conflicts. At the same time, a halting Arab-Israeli peace process continues. Are we indeed entering a new era in a new Middle East? Focusing on international rivers and ground water, this timely study provides thoughtful_if pessimistic_answers to this question. Examining each water source in the Middle East, Soffer also weighs the implications of going to war over water and such unconventional solutions to the water shortage as desalination and importation.

In a never-ending battle to match population growth with food and energy production, the countries of the Middle East have been frenziedly developing water resources, including international rivers and groundwate, without considering their neighbors' needs. The inevitable result has been more frequent and increasingly bitter conflicts. At the same time, a halting Arab-Israeli peace process spurred by the collapse of the Soviet Union continues. Are we indeed entering a new era in a new Middle East? Do the region's leaders understand that reality has changed and that a transition is inevitable? Focusing on international rivers and ground water in the region, this timely study provides thoughtful_if pessimistic_answers to these questions. Encompassing all water sources in the Middle East, Arnon Soffer thoroughly explores the Nile, Tigris, Euphrates, Jordan, Orontes, and Litani Rivers, as well as international groundwater. He also weighs the implications of going to war over water and such unconventional solutions to the water shortage as desalination and importation.

Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 International Rivers
Chapter 3 The Nile Basin
Chapter 4 Geopolitics of the Euphrates and Tigris Drainage Basin
Chapter 5 The Jordan-Yarmuk Basin: Conflict over Little Water
Chapter 6 The Orontes River as a Geopolitical Problem
Chapter 7 "Internationalized" Water Sources: The Litani River
Chapter 8 International Groundwater Conflicts in the Making
Chapter 9 Nonconventional Solutions to the Problem of Water Shortages in the Middle East
Chapter 10 Conclusion
Chapter 11 Appendix: Metric Conversion Table
Chapter 12 References
Chapter 13 Index