Security and the environment in the Middle East water issues

Water scarcity and quality have been a major concern for Israel and its neighbors. It has been recognized long ago that this problem has to be addressed at the regional level. Many agreements and interactions between the different nations have taken place over the years. Some contentious issues have never been solved to the satisfaction of all. But it is also clear that the nations involved will have to cooperate in the management of water and the environment for the long haul. The onset of the second Intifada in 2000 has put the peace process on hold. It has also led to an interruption of the discussions on water issues, basically at all levels. As a result despite a few small scale private initiatives the region (and in particular the West Bank and Gaza) are suffering from environmental neglect. This is creating a situation which has the potential to lead to further contamination of watershed and affect the water supply of neighboring nations.