Israel steps up water diplomacy, but Gaza war slows normalisation with Arab neighbours

Israel continues to rely on advanced desalination technology as a key tool in its strategy to normalise relations with its Arab neighbours. However, the conflict in Gaza significantly limits the success of this water diplomacy, which will ultimately depend on political and military developments in the region. 

The conflict with Hamas in Gaza has complicated Israel's diplomatic position, especially hampering normalisation talks with Saudi Arabia. As Al Arab reports, despite this adverse context, Israel persists in its efforts to establish cooperative relations with its neighbours, using water management as a central element in its diplomatic approach.

The Middle East is one of the regions most affected by water scarcity globally, with extreme heat waves and droughts aggravated by climate change. In this context, solutions for drinking water supply and wastewater management are vital. Desalination, which converts seawater into drinking water, has been adopted by several countries, and Israel has been at the forefront of this technology, obtaining approximately 85% of its drinking water from five large desalination plants.  

Israel signed the Abraham Accords with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates in September 2020, the first diplomatic treaties between an Arab state and Israel since 1994. These agreements, which were also adopted by Morocco and Sudan months later, represented a significant breakthrough in Israeli diplomacy, which had been preceded only by Egypt and Jordan in recognising Israel as a sovereign state. However, the repercussions of the Gaza conflict have complicated the normalisation negotiations that the US was trying to conclude between Israel and Saudi Arabia.  

Israel was about to ratify a trilateral agreement with Jordan and the United Arab Emirates at the UN climate change conference in November 2023. This deal would have allowed Jordan to export 600 megawatts of solar energy to Israel in exchange for 200 million cubic metres of desalinated water, financed by the UAE. However, the war in Gaza has delayed this deal.

Israel's scarcity of freshwater sources, exacerbated by its dry climate and overexploitation of natural resources such as Lake Tiberias, has prompted the country to take the lead in desalination technologies. Israel has not only met its own water needs, but has also offered solutions to its neighbours. However, building desalination plants remains a complex process, due to high operating costs and the need for sophisticated infrastructure.  

Despite being a leader in this sector, many territories with severe water scarcity problems have chosen not to partner with Israel. Countries such as Iraq, Lebanon and Syria suffer from internal violence and lack of governance, preventing any effective water partnership with Israel. On the other hand, states with political stability and resources, such as those in the Gulf, have preferred to pursue local initiatives rather than rely on Israeli technology.  

In this context, water diplomacy emerges as an important factor in maintaining existing normalisation frameworks, especially in the face of fragile Arab-Israeli relations during the Gaza war. Regional cooperation is expected to resume once a ceasefire is reached, which would allow Israel to use its water technology to strengthen diplomatic relations in the future.

In the short term, further normalisation agreements between Israel and its neighbours are unlikely to be achieved as long as the war in Gaza continues. A potential conflict with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon also threatens to destabilise the region, making diplomacy between Israel and Arab states even more difficult. However, states that already have normalised relations with Israel are unlikely to sever these ties, given the significant economic and security benefits these relations provide, including water agreements.  

Countries such as Jordan and Morocco, which face serious water crises, have reaffirmed their bilateral initiatives with Israel despite domestic protests against normalisation. This reflects these countries' dependence on drinking water supplies provided by Israel. While Israel's advanced water technology alone will not be sufficient to advance new normalisation agreements, water diplomacy offers an element of stability in existing normalisation frameworks, despite political pressures. 

In the long term, water diplomacy could remain a key tool for strengthening cooperation with Arab territories seeking to normalise relations with Israel, such as Saudi Arabia. Although Jordan tried to distance itself from Israel in 2023, in March 2024 it asked Israel to extend the water supply agreement for another year. Israel agreed to the extension only if Jordan moderated its criticism of the Gaza war. 

Riyadh also has reasons to seek water partnerships, given its ambitious domestic goals, such as Vision 2030, which faces challenges from budget cuts and lack of investment. The sustainability of its energy initiatives reinforces this interest in water cooperation.

In sum, while water diplomacy will remain secondary in regional relations, Israel's policy decisions will be key to fostering future partnerships. The growing demand for water in the Middle East will offer Israel opportunities to engage with both existing and potential new partners, such as Saudi Arabia.