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plan has served as a basis for withdrawals, and during the 1960s and ’70s the number of withdrawals even corresponded to Eric Johnston’s figures. In fact, Israel and Jordan worked out their own arrangements for withdrawals even during the period when there were no diplomatic relations between the countries. These negotiations are known as the “Picnic Table Negotiations” because the representatives would meet near the Jordan River at a picnic table to resolve any serious conflicts over water extractions. Although this very pastoral scene of straw hampers and checkered tablecloths was good for reducing conflict, it was obviously bad for the Jordan River. Over time its entire contents were divided up so that as little water as possible reached the Dead Sea. The waters of the Dead Sea, which could not be divided up for agriculture or drinking water use, were therefore considered wasted water. Allowing water to reach the Dead Sea was considered almost sinful. The Jordan River was divided up between Israel and Jordan while Syria continued to withdraw water at a rate enumerated in the Johnston Plan. Present Pumping Dynamics Water conflicts continue to emerge along the Jordan River even today. For instance, the Lebanese began to withdraw 10mcm/yr of water from the Wazzani River in 2002 without first consulting Israel. According to international law standards , this constituted improper behavior, and Israel notified several members of the international community. But the withdrawal was allowed because it was small and inconsequential and, of course, consistent with the Johnston Plan formula. Now that the countries have successfully siphoned off all they could possibly withdraw from the Jordan, the Yarmuk, and the Kinneret, they are looking for other ways to capture and utilize more water. It would seem that today’s decision makers can only see their own present uses and their own present needs and not the needs of future generations when it comes to taking natural assets. Although the environmental revolution began over 30 years ago with the Stockholm Declaration in 1972, few have internalized the essence of the declaration when it declared that man is a trustee for nature. It is not for man to reduce nature to its lowest common denominator but rather to use our assets wisely to protect them for future generations. In fact, modern ecology talks about improving the quality of the environment for future generations, rather than detracting from it. This may sound appropriate in international conventions, but on the ground things are quite different. No country along the Jordan River has ever agreed to set a minimum basic amount of water necessary for life in and along the Jordan River. “Life” in this context refers to the ecological life of the river, its ecosystems, its attractive flow, and the quality of water. In addition, any decision made should take the future of the Dead Sea into consideration, seeing it as one of the real treasures on this earth with its extensive history, unusual location, huge depth, and inherently healthy quality of water. The environmental section of the Israel-Jordan peace agreement of 1994 includes protection of natural resources, with specific paragraphs regarding the richard laster and dan livney 260 ...

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