Hundreds protest in Jordan against water-energy deal with Israel
Critics say the deal leaves Jordan dependent on Israel without providing a solution to the country’s water problems.
26 Nov 2021
Amman, Jordan – Hundreds of people gathered in the Jordanian capital to protest a water-for-energy agreement between Jordan and Israel.
The agreement, if implemented, would be one of the largest cooperation projects since the countries signed a peace deal 27 years ago.
Under the deal, Jordan would receive 200 million cubic metres (7.06 billion cubic feet) of desalinated water from Israel, in return for 600 megawatts of electricity generated from a UAE-funded solar energy plant in Jordan.
Jordanians at the protest on Friday rejected the agreement, saying it moved towards normalising ties with Israel while it continues to occupy the Palestinian territories. Opponents also warned that the deal would force Jordan to be dependent on its neighbour.
“We have the right to live; Palestinians have the right to live,” Nasreen, a protester, told Al Jazeera. “We, Jordanians, support Palestine, and we care about Jordan, that is why we are here today.”
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