"Water! ... You can't say that you are necessary for life - you are life itself... You are the greatest wealth on Earth, but also the most whimsical, you are the purest in the belly of the Earth "

A. De Saint-Exupery

The water resources of the Middle East, where about one-twentieth of all the inhabitants of the Earth live, today hardly ensure the normal life of the population of the countries of this region. According to rough estimates, fresh water reserves here are less than a hundredth of the world's total. Of course, the water problem in the Middle East is part of this problem on a global scale. According to the World Health Organization, more than 2 billion people have died. people in the world suffer from a shortage of drinking water. There are a number of reasons for this. Among other things, the demographic factor is of great importance: during the 20th century, the world's population tripled, while the consumption of fresh water as a whole increased 13-fold, reaching the level of 3.5 trillion cubic meters. m per year.

The high rate of population growth in Middle Eastern countries and the growing needs of developing industries are contributing to a rapid reduction in the share of water consumed per capita. In the region as a whole, water supply dropped from 3.3 thousand liters per year in the 1960s to 1.1 thousand liters in the first years of the XXI century. This was the lowest rate in the world, accounting for only 33% of the Central Asian level and even 15% of the Central African level. Experts note a further decline in water reserves in the Middle East region and give very disappointing forecasts for their replenishment - in the first half of this century, fresh water reserves in the region may be reduced by half.

In some countries of the Middle East, the annual level of water consumption is up to 250 cubic meters per capita at a rate of 1,700 cubic meters. m (including water for industrial and agricultural needs). At the same time, per inhabitant (for example, in the Palestinian National Authority (hereinafter - PNA) and some areas of Israel) may account for one and a half times less than the recognized minimum annual consumption of drinking water [Zvyagelskaya, Karasova, Fedorchenko, 2005, p.361].

The problem of water, of course, is closely linked to a number of economic and political problems, and on the scale of the entire region. In order to objectively assess the current difficult water situation in the State of Israel, we will try to link it with political realities, analyze its political and economic foundations and possible solutions.

By the end of 2007, all signs of another so-called water crisis were beginning to show up in Israel. According to many experts and politicians (especially those on the left), it was the government's actions that contributed to the deterioration of the situation with Russia.

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with water. In July 2008, the Knesset deputy from the Labor party, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources O. Pas-Pines addressed Prime Minister E. Olmert with the initiative to create a state commission to investigate the causes and consequences of the water crisis in the country.

The author of the appeal was once a member of the parliamentary committee to investigate the causes of the severe water situation that occurred in Israel seven years ago. The appeal emphasized that the current crisis is based primarily on the miscalculations of the Israeli government, which from 2001 to mid-2008 did not take any steps in accordance with the recommendations of experts.

Among the tasks of the commission were to clarify the circumstances in which the authorities for several years ignored a number of recommendations of specialists and did not take any decisions on them, as well as to develop an action program to ensure a stable uninterrupted water supply. The creation of the commission was supported by the State Comptroller of Israel M. Lindenstraus, whose consent is mandatory for the formation of such commissions, as well as the Minister of Infrastructure B. Ben-Eliezer. The members of the commission were appointed by the Chairman of the Supreme Court of Israel, D. Beinish, and one of the initiators of the project, a member of the Knesset from the MAFDAL - Ihud-Leumi bloc, became the chairman of the commission. Orlev.

According to the latter, the water crisis in the country is not a natural disaster, but has very specific culprits, and a number of omissions that have been allowed by the country's authorities for many years have led to the current difficult situation [http://news.strana.co.il, 28.07.2008]. Expressing the opinion of a whole range of Israeli politicians, Orlev said that the Israeli leadership systematically ignored long-term projects for the sake of short-term benefits, which is why the country still does not have enough desalination plants, does not carry out work on the restoration of aquifers and other necessary measures.

The problem of water resources for Israel has always been one of the most important. And throughout the existence of the State of Israel, the problem of water has been closely linked to the political and economic realities of the entire Middle East region [Maidanchik, 2007]. A striking example of the fact that the unresolved water problem can become a stumbling block in modern political processes is the demand for Syria's access to Lake Baikal water. Kinneret - on the Syrian side, and concerns related to the transfer of the Golan (and thus most of the mountain springs that feed Lake Baikal). Kinneret) Some circles in the Israeli elite in the current sluggish Syrian-Israeli negotiations.

In fairness, it should be noted that the shortage of fresh water in Israel is not a permanent phenomenon. Only in dry years, and especially in the last two or three decades (including as a result of the rapid development of the Israeli economy and a sharp increase in the population), the lack of water became most noticeable. But if this problem becomes acute for one reason or another, it usually leads to crisis phenomena in almost all spheres of the country's life.

Starting to analyze the current state of the water problem in Israel, it is necessary to list the main sources of fresh water for the country. First, these are rivers and lakes - natural waterways and reservoirs that are actively used in the economic life of the state. Secondly, underground waters are aquifers, or aquifers, from which water is extracted through wells and wells. Third, rainwater is also an important source of fresh water for Israel. Its useful annual volume is estimated by experts of the Water Resources Administration at approximately 100 million cubic meters [Jerusalem Post, 8.07.2008]. There are, however, a number of challenges in implementing rainwater collection and transportation programs. Nevertheless, experts declare the need for increased attention to this promising area. Fourth, water desalination is a rapidly developing area of national economy.-

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It is designed to ultimately address the problem of freshwater scarcity. High costs associated with the installation and operation of desalination plants (with insufficiently studied negative effects on the environment), led to a number of problems in putting them into operation.

In total, the volume of water consumed by Israel, including drinking water, for household and industrial needs, as well as water for irrigation, is about 2 billion cubic meters annually. In order to identify certain problems in the use of the listed water resources in the Israeli economy and to analyze the complex of reasons that cause them, it is necessary to focus on each of the listed types of water resources 1.

The Jordan River originates from the confluence of three rivers fed by mountain springs: Hasbani (originates in Lebanon, annual discharge - 138 million cubic meters). Baniyas (in Syria-121 million cubic meters) and Dan (in Israel - 245 million cubic meters).

The Hasbani River, which flows from Southern Lebanon, has several tributaries, the largest of which is also the South Lebanon Wazzani River. These rivers are fed by springs and streams flowing from the Lebanese Mountains. The waters flowing from the Golan Heights also make a significant contribution to the Jordan River basin. Together with the streams originating in the Golan Heights, the South Lebanon rivers account for at least 50% of the water flowing to the lake. Kinneret, from which originates the All-Israel water Pipeline that delivers fresh water to areas of the Mediterranean coast, to the main Israeli cities and to the Negev.

Annual reset p. The Jordan River in the upper course at the outlet of Lake Hula is 640 million cubic meters. m. Downstream, after 16 km, the river flows into the lake. Kinneret. As a result of evaporation from the lake surface (which is estimated at 140 million cubic meters) and water parsing for irrigation needs in the Bisan Valley (about 60 million cubic meters), the annual discharge of p. The Jordan River at the outlet of Lake Kinneret is 440 million cubic meters. After the Yarmouk River, which originates in Syria, flows into the Jordan River (an annual discharge of 400 million m3), the so-called Lower Jordan flows into the Dead Sea after 100 km. Thus, the total annual discharge is p. Jordan is 1.4 billion cubic meters (Daoudy, 2008, p. 217; Khamzin, 2.10.2002).

Lake Kinneret is one of the main reservoirs of fresh water (about 25% of the fresh water consumed by Israel). The current crisis, according to environmentalists, may well cause irreparable damage to both the lake and the associated ecosystem. Moreover, we are not even talking about the danger of drying up the lake, but about its salinization due to a decrease in the pressure of the upper column of fresh water and the subsequent mixing of two water layers - fresh and salt. The fact is that under the lake there is a layer of salt water, which is under pressure. Water column of fresh water lake. Kinneret prevents the release of salt water. Lowering the water level below the established critical mark can cause salt water to escape and mix with the mass of fresh water in the lake.

The Israel Water Resources Authority has set three threshold water levels in the lake: the " upper red line "(208.9 m below sea level), upon reaching which the Dganiya dam opens to drain excess water into the Jordan River, while reaching the "lower red line" indicates an extremely low water level and serves as a basis for suspending water extraction. water to the National Water Supply System. Lower - "black line" (214.87 m below sea level) means reaching the maximum permissible water level for pumping stations and further inability to take water from the lake.

In the summer of 2003, a record low water level was recorded in the lake. Kinneret [Jerusalem Post, 7.07.2008]. This "record" was broken only in 2008, calling into question the possibility of further operation of pumping stations. Since 2004, there has been a gradual decrease in the water level in the lake. Kinneret. In 2007 alone, the lake level dropped by 42 cm. In January 2008, the lowest water level in the lake was recorded. Kinneret for the last

1 The situation of the last few years only will be analyzed below. The main economic indicators of the reserves, consumption and use of water resources in Israel in the last quarter of the 20th century can be found in [Khamzin, 1998 (Appendix)].

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5 years-since March 9, 2003 - 212.59 m, which is 3.79 m below the "upper red line" [Jerusalem Post, 1.01.2008]. In spring, there was a lack of precipitation, and the trend of falling water levels continued. In the summer of 2008, the water level dropped below the "lower red line", which, according to Uri Shor, a spokesman for the Israel Water Resources Authority, reduced the quality of drinking water and put its source at risk [Jerusalem Post, 7.07.2008]. In July, the water level in the lake. Kinneret descended even more than a meter, coming very close to the"black line". In the political sphere, this caused the need to create a commission to investigate the causes of the current situation and raised the question of completely stopping the water withdrawal from the lake.

The main Israeli aquifers - underground aquifers-are also experiencing depletion. Two major aquifera are conventionally distinguished: the coastal and mountain aquifera; the latter, in turn, is divided into western, eastern, and northeastern aquifera (Phillips et al., 2007, p. 40-41). In 2008, the level of both mountain and coastal aquifers was extremely low. An admixture of sea salt water was recorded in the coastal aquifera due to its depletion in the summer of 2008. At the beginning of July, according to the head of the Water Resources Administration, U. Shani, the level of the coastal aquifer fell below the "black line" [Jerusalem Post, 8.07.2008], which, according to him, is already irreversible destructive. The water level in the mountain aquifera is also very low: already in the summer of 2008, it dropped a meter below its "lower red line", and the trend of falling levels continued. If the water level is in the lake. If the Kinneret and Jordan Rivers have already reached their critical levels before, then the situation with the level in aquifers is called unprecedented by experts. Unusually low rainfall in the first half of 2008 significantly worsened the situation, which is already estimated to be the worst in the last 80 years.

The next important fresh water resource in the country has recently been desalinated seawater. The construction of desalination plants has been particularly acute since 2001, but so far the volume of desalinated water produced is far from planned. In 2008, only two desalination plants operated in Israel: the large Ashkelon desalination plant, with a capacity of up to 108 million cubic meters. A desalination plant near Hadera with a capacity of up to 100 million cubic meters is planned to be launched in 2009, and two more-in Ashdod and Nahal Sorek-only by 2013. Thus, it is planned to desalinate up to 505 million cubic meters in the future. per year, which is comparable to the 700 million cubic meters of drinking water consumed by Israel alone. It is impossible not to agree with the accusations against the government that the plan, adopted back in 2002 and providing for the emergency construction of desalinators producing up to 430 million cubic meters of water per year by 2004, has not yet been fully implemented. However, experts from various Israeli environmental organizations warn that desalination can not be the only and main measure to combat the shortage of drinking water. There are even concerns that excessive operation of desalination plants can harm the environment: their operation is accompanied by a huge release of thermal energy into the atmosphere, as well as harmful substances [Jerusalem Post, 8.07.2008].

Recently, much attention has been paid to an alternative to seawater desalination, namely desalination of salt marshes, which can become an additional source of fresh water away from the coast. Desalination of salt marshes is particularly important in the waterless areas of the Negev. For ten years, the national water company Mekorot, as well as some private companies, have been using the technology of desalination of water from salt marshes. Existing plants already desalinate 37 million cubic meters of water per year, and it is planned to increase their capacity by 70% [http://www.mignews.com, 14.11.2008]. The cost of water produced from salt marshes is approximately 50 cents per cubic meter, while seawater desalination costs 73 cents per cubic meter. Thus, the widespread introduction of salt marsh desalination technology can be a significant help in Israel's efforts to eliminate water scarcity and reduce its cost.

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All these measures to overcome the crisis are generally characterized by intensive-high-quality-development of this industry. However, both in the recent history of Israel and in the trends of modern political processes, there is a noticeable desire to solve the problem of water, so to speak, in an extensive way [see: Filonik and Rogozhina, 1996]. This refers to the recorded attempts to use the water resources of the occupied territories of neighboring countries, primarily Syrian and Lebanese.

For example, it is known that at one time control over the South Lebanon "security strip" (since 1978) was used by Israel to solve water shortage problems. Thus, in the report of experts of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, presented at the conference in Amman in May 1994, it was reported that since the creation of this zone, Israel has annually pumped water from the Litani River to its territory with pumps installed at the Hardali Bridge in the amount of 150 million cubic meters (i.e., from 1/6 to 1/5 of the total annual discharge), and another 65 million cubic meters were taken annually from the Wazzani and Khasbani rivers. On the complaints of the Lebanese side about the illegal diversion of water to Israel in the late 1970s and early 1980s from the tributaries of the Peshmerga River. Hasbani is also reported in the handbook on Lebanon, published by the US Department of Defense in 1989 [Middle East International, N 458, 10.09.1993]. In addition, Israel's creation of a special buffer zone in Southern Lebanon under the control of the puppet Army of Southern Lebanon has led to a significant decline in agriculture in the region. The demand for water for irrigation of farmland has sharply decreased, which has led to a decrease in water withdrawal from pp. Wazzani and Hasbani, which gave all their runoff to the Jordan River.

When Israel withdrew from Lebanon in May 2000, the Lebanese Government began implementing plans for the economic revival of the south and its reintegration into the national economy. Already in March 2001, a new pumping station was installed on the Khasbani River and water was pumped out for irrigation of crops and household needs of Vazzani farms and three other settlements, whose residents began to return to their places and establish economic life [Gulf News, 29.03.2001]. Water extraction from the Hasbani River for the agricultural and domestic needs of Lebanese residents continued in August 2001 and in the summer and autumn of 2002.

All this time, Israel has expressed concern about the ongoing work on the most important source of the Jordan River, and in the fall of 2002, the government of A. Sharon in a tough form demanded that the Lebanese administration suspend work, explaining its demands by saying that Hezbollah, which is closely associated with the South Lebanese municipalities, can use the "water factor" against Israel. According to Israeli experts, the 16-inch pipe laid there could be used to pump up to 50 million cubic meters of water from Hasbani annually [Jerusalem Report, 5.09.2002]. According to other sources, the pipe diameter did not exceed 4 inches, and, thus, the water extraction project from the Khasbani River was within the quotas defined by the Johnston plan, i.e. no more than 35 million cubic meters of water intended for irrigation of 3.5 thousand hectares of agricultural land [The Daily Star, 17.09.2002].

In 2003, the problem of using water from the Wazzani River was included by the International Court of Arbitration in the list of problems related to the establishment of economic life in Southern Lebanon within the framework of the "Water of Southern Lebanon" project [Willart, 2004, pp. 116-117].

Soon circumstances developed so that the problem of water was again closely linked to foreign policy.

It is clearly not possible to identify access to Lebanon's water resources as one of the challenges that Israel faced during the Lebanon-Israel war in the summer of 2006. As you know, the Israeli army's withdrawal to the Litani River and its forcing at the beginning of the war were not planned at all. If it is possible to trace the solution of the water problem in Israel as one of the goals of the war, then with great caution and only indirectly. Along with the army's actions against Hezbollah's military wing, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and the destabilization of the situation in southern Lebanon were intended to once again disrupt the normal economic life of the area.

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Not only in the south of the country, but also in the central part of the Bekaa Valley, both transport communications - roads and bridges, as well as water pipelines-were destroyed. As before, the devastation of many Lebanese farms and the general decline in economic activity in southern Lebanon have reduced the amount of water taken from the South Lebanon rivers that flow into the Jordan and Oz rivers. Kinneret.

The second important area, whose control is directly linked to the control of the region's water resources, is the occupied and unilaterally annexed Golan Heights by Israel from Syria. The territory of the Golan Heights (not exceeding 20 km2) is important not only as a strategic position, but also as access to mountain water sources that have a south-western direction, that is, towards Israel, as well as access to the water resources of Lake Baikal. Kinneret [Daoudy, 2008, p. 217; Jagerskog, 2003].

The issue of concluding a peace treaty between Israel and Syria has revolved around the issue of transferring the territory of the Golan Heights to Syria for several decades. The fact is that by controlling the Golan Heights, you can manage up to 330 million cubic meters. m / year of water, both flowing down the surface and entering the aquifer (Shuval, 1991) (according to various estimates, only surface waters from the Golan range from 30 to 46 million cubic meters). m per year (see [Dafhi, Gvirtzman, Burg, and Fliescher, 2003, p. 139-153; Zarour and Isaac, 1993, p. 48]).

In the late 1990s, there were positive developments in the settlement of the territorial dispute, and in the second half of 1999, the Barak administration agreed in principle to return the disputed territory of the Golan. The problem of water in the Golan was already raised in 1999, when the provision on the repatriation of 500 refugees to the Golan Heights specifically stipulated their full access to water sources.

The hope of concluding a Syrian-Israeli peace treaty was lost during the meeting of the Syrian and American presidents in Geneva on March 26, 2000, and the reason for this was largely the issue of access to water resources [Pressman, 2007, p. 375]. American President B. Clinton, as a mediator, offered the Syrians the conditions of E. Barak, according to which the border was to pass half a kilometer to the coastline of Lake Baikal. Kinneret [Ross, 2004, pp. 575-578]. This, however, did not correspond not only to the 1967 borders, but also to the 1923 borders, and was completely unacceptable for Syrians.

The issue of water has thus, explicitly or implicitly, consistently been the basis of a negotiating strategy for both sides. All this time, the negotiations seemed to be going well, and both sides were ready to compromise, but the position of X. President Bashar al-Assad regarding the border with Israel, which includes the coast of Oz. The lack of access to Kinneret and its water resources led to a breakdown in the negotiation process. The Syrian President was ready to discuss the conditions and details of the Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights, but the fundamental provisions of the Syrian side regarding territories and water resources remained unshakable. In 2003, the Syrian president announced his readiness to continue peace talks with Israel, but the Israelis did not respond to this proposal, according to some analysts - not without consultations on this issue from the United States [Nir, 2004]. In 2005, the Syrian side again expressed interest in continuing negotiations on the basis of the Madrid formula "land for peace" [OfficialPosition..., 2005; Interview of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad M. Daoudi dated 2.03.2005-quoted. by: Daoudy, 2008, p. 230].

Damascus proceeded from the fact that Syria should not have acted in negotiations with Israel from a position of weakness, which was due to the lack of any steps in this direction over the next two years. After the aggravation of relations between Israel and Syria in the summer of 2007 (the strengthening of the contingents of both sides in the Golan Heights, the shelling of North Syrian objects by Israeli aircraft), which obviously reflected the interest of some circles in Israel in disrupting informal meetings of the Syrians-

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The Russian and Israeli delegations, which were taking place in Europe at that time, entered a period of separate constructive steps and initiatives aimed at continuing the dialogue. The Turkish mediation initiative was officially accepted by both sides. However, there are fundamental issues concerning the problem of water sharing in Lake Baikal. Kinneret, remain undeveloped. In addition, the current water crisis has contributed to the fact that both in the Israeli establishment (mainly among right-wing politicians, but not only), and in society itself, positions are increasingly being traced that speak about the inadmissibility of transferring the Golan to Syria due to the strategic importance of controlling the main sources of mountain aquifera, which are located just on the Heights (see, for example: [We Are Here, N 186. 14-20.11.2008]).

It is obvious that any possible agreement on the Syrian-Israeli borders that does not take into account the water problem, as well as an agreement regulating the sharing of water resources, without taking into account the issue of borders, are doomed to extreme difficulties in their implementation [Daoudy, 2008, p.231].

The next foreign policy component of the water problem in Israel is relations with the Palestinians. Israel retains exclusive control over the PA's water resources, distributing quotas, pumping and transporting water to Palestinian areas.

If the current water situation in Israel is described as a crisis, then in most Palestinian areas it is even more severe. Thus, the Israeli human rights organization Be-Tselem believes that the problem of uneven distribution of water resources between the Jewish population and the Palestinians was aggravated by an extremely dry year, as a result of which the situation in some areas in the north of the West Bank became catastrophic: water consumption in summer here was only a third of the minimum [http://www.btselem.org]. The minimum total water consumption in the West Bank is 79 million cubic meters. However, according to the Palestinian Water Authority, in 2008, the water shortage was estimated to be between 42 and 69 million cubic meters. cubic meters [http://english.pnn.ps, 12.07.2008]. Indeed, the amount of precipitation in the West Bank in 2008 is characterized as extremely low: in the northern part - 64% of normal, and in the southern part-only 55%.

As for the uneven distribution of water, you should pay attention to the following indicators. One of the main sources of fresh water in the West Bank is the so-called mountain aquifer, which is completely controlled by Israel. All wells and wells are under the protection of the army, and unauthorized water withdrawal is prohibited for Palestinians. Water resources here are distributed in such a way: only 20% of the waters of the mountain aquifer remain for the Palestinians, and the Palestinian Water Resources Authority does not have the right to drill new wells and develop new water sources. Israel annually diverts about 44 million cubic meters of water from the Jordan River, which is 5 million cubic meters more than the amount of water allocated to the needs of the Palestinians.

However, as Be-Tselem points out, the standards adopted for the Palestinian population are already extremely low, even relative to the minimum. Thus, the average daily consumption of drinking water in the West Bank region is 66 liters per person (about 24 cubic meters). m per year), which is only 2/3 of the minimum amount adopted by the World Health Organization, while in most Israeli cities this figure is 3.5 times higher. At the same time, Palestinians are forced to buy drinking water, the price of which exceeds the price of water in Israeli settlements by an average of 3 to 5 times (in 2007, the price per cubic meter of drinking water in different parts of the West Bank ranged from 15 to 30 shekels [http://english.pnn.ps, 12.07.2008]).

The issue of water certainly plays a key role in relations between Israelis and Palestinians. The solution to this problem can be a fair proportional distribution of water resources. However, while the Palestinians are demanding full access to water resources, the Israeli side is pushing for full access to water resources.-

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it provides its own counterarguments. Thus, the Russian expert on the Middle East, E. Ya. Satanovsky, voicing, obviously, the position of the Israeli side, believes that the root of the water problem lies " ... in the fundamentally different approach of Israelis and Palestinians to water. In the post-industrial Israeli society, the cult of ecology and resource conservation reigns supreme. Patriarchal Palestinian society defiantly ignores them. An example of this approach is the overexploitation of underground water in Gaza, which has resulted in seawater entering aquifers, irreversibly destroying the water use system in the sector. The deliberate destruction of Israeli-planted forests by the Palestinians adds to the picture" (Satanovsky, 2008). For the sake of justice, it should be noted that excessive water extraction from the lake. Kinneret has led to the threat of uplift and mixing with the freshwater saltwater aquifer.

This political aspect of the water problem in Israel goes hand in hand with the economic one. But if the analysis of the political component is based on facts that can have different interpretations, then in the economic sphere, the researcher has relatively accurate indicators and statistics published by the State Statistical Bureau of Israel. According to the data provided in the collection, water production in the country, both by the state-owned company Mekorot and other companies, decreased: from 2128 million cubic meters. m in 2004 to 1996 million cubic meters. m in 2006 At the same time, however, the exploitation of underground waters, i.e. the resources of aquifers, increased. Water withdrawal from rivers and lakes decreased significantly between 2004 and 2006. Kinneret [Water Production..., 2008, table 21.6, p. 786]. Since 2000, water consumption for agricultural purposes has gradually decreased: from 1,138 million cubic meters in 2000 to 1,108 million cubic meters in 2006, while drinking water consumption by the population, on the contrary, has grown: from 662 million cubic meters in 2000 to 737 million cubic meters. m in 2006 [ibid.].

According to the Israeli Hydrological Service, the salinity of the coastal water area has significantly increased over the past decade, reaching a record level of 209 mg / l by the end of 2007 (note that in the middle of the 20th century this figure was almost twice as low). At the same time, the salinity of the mountain aquifer fluctuated in the normal range [Water Level..., 2008, table 1.8, p. 76]. The trend of decline in the average water level in the mountain and coastal aquifers is noted when comparing the indicators for the last decade. According to the measurements of the mountain aquifer level at the hydrological stations in Beersheba, Petah Tikva and Menashe, the situation in 2007 was already comparable to the crisis of 2001 [ibid.]. A slightly different picture, but also not encouraging, appears when comparing the indicators of the coastal aquifer level at the stations in Beth Shikmah, Holon and Hadera. The water level in this aquifera is very unstable and varies depending on the year and season, however, it is obvious that in 2007 there was a clear decrease in its average level [ibid.]. As for the statistics on Lake Baikal, it is quite clear that the water level of the lake is very low. Kinneret, then in 2007 the level of its salinity steadily approached the extremely high indicator of the water crisis period at the beginning of the XXI century, which was 272 mg / l in 2001, and 286 mg/l in 2002 [Water Level..., 2008, table 1.9, p. 77]. In relation to the water level in the lake. Kinneret in the last decade, exactly the same trend has been observed [ibid.] 2.

At the beginning of winter, a campaign to promote water saving was planned, which was planned to be launched in early spring, when water consumption for irrigation increases significantly. The country's media called on citizens to strictly save drinking water, and the government's Water Resources Department decided to increase the use of desalinated water. However, the main capacity of desalination plants was planned to be put into operation only in the coming years, so these measures were clearly not enough so far. Water prices have increased significantly, and the trend of their significant decline is not yet noticeable. So, in July 2008, the price of water for household needs doubled. Prices for drinking water also continued to grow steadily. Was delivered-

2 Accurate lake data. Kinneret data for 2008 have already been cited above.

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The issue of adopting a law on water standards, i.e. setting higher tariffs for the population for water consumed in excess of the established norm, has been resolved. In some areas, strict water consumption quotas have been set for irrigation systems. In October 2008, there were reports of such an extreme measure as stopping the supply of water to farms (in the Metula region, in the north of the country) that had chosen their water quotas [Jerusalem Post, 7.10.2008].

In the Israeli expert community, voices are increasingly heard addressing the country's government with harsh criticism of the implementation of the" water " program. So, an expert of the Israeli Union for the Protection of the Environment, N. Elad, in an interview with the Jerusalem Post newspaper, said that the government did not show enough attention to preserving natural water reserves and did not undertake a long-term program aimed at this. "The wells and aquifers themselves were polluted for several years, the government did not try to restore them or fight their pollution. So the contamination of water sources did not occur as a result of the actions of higher forces, but was the work of man" [Jerusalem Post, 8.07.2008].

It is interesting that the officials who most depend on the solution of the problem seem to try not to notice it at all. In this sense, the statement of the press secretary of the Department of Water Resources, U. Shor, who in September 2008 on the Israeli radio station "Radio Liberty" stated that water scarcity is now characteristic of many regions of the world-Spain, California, Australia - and is not a specific problem of Israel is noteworthy. This, he said, is the result of global warming [http://www.svobodanews.ru, 17.09.2008].

Experts from the Society for Nature Conservation also disagree with the authorities ' interpretation of insufficient precipitation as the cause of the current water crisis in Israel. In their opinion, this is the result of ill-considered actions of several governments: back in 2001, when there was a difficult water situation similar to the current one, a set of emergency measures was launched, which was estimated at an additional NIS 100 million in budget funding. However, as soon as the situation returned to normal as a result of heavy precipitation the following year, its implementation was stopped and funding was suspended. In addition, in the same year, 2001, the government announced that it soon plans to reach the volume of 400 million cubic meters of desalinated water annually. If, as experts believe, these plans were implemented in a timely manner, the current water crisis would not have taken place.

Among the government's miscalculations are also called erroneous political steps that have already affected the water situation, and in the future, according to supporters of this position, they will threaten Israel's economic security altogether. The main point here is the concept of demarcation, adopted and carried out by the administration of A. Sharon. Thus, in a recent report by the head of the Planning Department of the Israeli Water Resources Administration, I. Dreizin, it was stated that the ongoing demarcation, i.e. the further transfer of land in Judea and Samaria to the Arabs, will cause severe damage to the Israeli water sector. It was reported that the Palestinians allegedly plan to use up to 700 million cubic meters of water per year in the future (about a third of the water consumed by Israel), mainly from the mountain aquifer and, in part, from the Jordan River3. Excessive exploitation of the mountain aquifera by the Palestinians can cause irreparable damage to the ecology of such areas of the country as Gilboa, Harod, Beit She'an, where the process of desertification will inevitably begin. The actual loss of the most important natural water source, the mountain aquifer, as a result of the demarcation policy will force the government to rely on desalination, which may exacerbate Israel's dependence on energy imports, and also, as I. Dreizin believes, taking into account the military aspect and the problem of water source safety, will create an additional risk.

3 For excerpts from the report, see: [Yitzhak]

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The report highlighted the massive financial cost of Israel's development of additional desalination plants with a capacity of 300 to 500 million cubic meters of water per year to replace the resources transferred to the Palestinians. Direct costs for their construction should amount to 3.3 - 5 billion rubles. NIS, and operating costs - 0.7 - 1 billion. shekels per year. In addition, it is necessary to create a strategic source to supply the country with water in times of droughts and crises. To do this, desalination plants with a capacity of 150 million to 300 million cubic meters will have to be built. m per year. The cost of their construction will be 2 billion rubles. NIS, and operating costs - 0.5 - 1 billion. shekels per year [http://www.newswe.com, 20.11.2008].

The report of the head of the Planning Department of the Water Resources Administration contains a barely veiled criticism of the Israeli Government's actions. However, the Government has already outlined a number of measures to stabilize the dire water situation and prevent a similar situation from happening again in the future. Back in July, an additional NIS 1 million was allocated from the Israeli budget for emergency measures. In total, it is planned to spend up to 12 billion rubles on the campaign to overcome the water crisis in the next 5 years. These funds will be used not only to complete the construction of desalination plants and their operation, but also to regulate the operation of irrigation networks for agricultural needs, and to improve the water infrastructure. The set of measures taken by the Israeli Government includes, among other things, the removal of water from the rivers that feed the lake. Kinneret. In addition, a number of measures have been proposed to clean up contaminated wells. Part of these funds will be used to promote water conservation in Israeli society through the media and other means. A large-scale campaign (both in schools and on educational and children's TV channels), calling on children and adolescents to save water, is already being carried out through the Ministry of Education.

One of the most promising areas of activity in the field of water conservation is rainwater harvesting. The annual amount of precipitation that falls on the territory of Israel averages about 10 billion cubic meters. m. Some of this water evaporates from the earth's surface, while the other part is filtered into the ground and replenishes underground aquifers. A very significant part of the rainwater flows down the mountain slopes, forming streams that flow into the channels of small rivers that eventually flow into the Mediterranean, Red and Dead Seas. The creation of a flood water retention system through dams and levees could provide cheap fresh water even in arid areas such as the Negev. According to experts ' calculations, a system for detaining and accumulating rainwater flowing only into the Mediterranean Sea could increase the volume of fresh water consumed by Israel annually by almost 1 billion cubic meters.

Despite the ongoing and planned activities, Israel continues to experience an acute shortage of both drinking water and household water. According to experts, the situation will not return to normal soon, especially if we take into account the tendency to increase dry periods. It seems that the problem under consideration should become a priority for taking long-term measures to resolve it. Otherwise, the water crisis may affect all aspects of Israeli life.

In the domestic political sphere, the problem of water entails quite definite and calculated risks in relation to the internal economic relations of the country and its administrative and economic disintegration. In economic terms, the current crisis is already affecting and will continue to affect the decline in agricultural production, the reduction of production capacities of some enterprises associated with increased water consumption, and so on.The current water crisis can also have a very negative impact on the relations between the main political forces of the country and deepen their disintegration. This can significantly weaken Israel's position in a difficult foreign policy environment. The lack of unity in the Israeli political establishment, which already makes it difficult to draw a clear political line in the OT-

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Relations with the Palestinians, both the Hamas administration and Fatah structures (which became particularly evident during the military operation in Gaza in January 2009), are likely to affect relations with the future Palestinian Government, regardless of its views. In turn, the water problem in Israel, which requires a targeted and step-by-step solution, as well as the necessary detailed agreements on water with the PNA leadership, may not receive due attention from the government, which will inevitably lead to another, even deeper water crisis in the future, which may already acquire a sub-regional scale.

No one doubts that the water problem has always affected and continues to affect Israel's relations with neighboring States. The regional dimension of the water problem also demonstrates the need for a speedy legal and economic settlement of the problem through bilateral contacts between the Israeli Government and the Governments of neighboring Arab States.

It is unlikely that the water problem will push Israel into expansionism in the foreign policy sphere in the near future. Nevertheless, a thorough review of all contentious issues related to water resources in the Middle East will certainly put Israel on the path of balanced foreign policy decisions. In particular, this will allow for a more flexible policy in relations with Syria, especially on the issue of the Golan Heights, as well as the closely related issue of signing a peace treaty. It is also possible that the successful implementation of the Government's measures to resolve the water problem will strengthen Israel's position in relations with the Palestinians, especially with the Gaza Strip administration, and force the latter to adhere more strictly to the bilateral agreements reached and resolutions adopted at the international level.

It is also impossible to ignore the process of establishing constructive relations between Israel and the US administration of Barack Obama. US geopolitical interests in the Middle East cannot be realized in the future at the expense of the interests of all interested participants in the peace process, and especially Israel, whose actions, as it seems, should be taken in the interests of the Israeli people only, and not in favor of certain political forces in the country. Contacts with the US government, as well as with active European participants in the Middle East process, should be more balanced, devoid of a tendency to confrontation with key players in the Middle East region, such as Iran. Unconditional support for US military plans, which took place under the previous US administration, can be fatal for Israel, aggravate the difficult water situation in the country, as well as further deepen regional political and economic contradictions. The problem of redistribution of hydrocarbon and water resources in the context of an explosive situation in the Middle East, if solved by force, can radically destabilize the situation, which will inevitably cause global consequences.

Thus, the efforts of the Israeli administration to solve the water problem should be carried out in a comprehensive manner in its domestic, economic and foreign policy aspects. This, however, will require the Israeli Government to take steps to consolidate the efforts of various political forces in this direction, as well as to find additional financial resources, including, possibly, attracting foreign investment. Since the latter is difficult to achieve in the context of an unstable foreign policy situation, an important condition for an early exit from the water crisis for Israel is the readiness of politicians representing different groups of the population to unite for constructive steps towards stabilizing Israel's position among its Arab neighbors, as well as in the world community as a whole.

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