Canal to link Red and Dead Seas

The World Bank has approved a pilot plan for a canal linking the Red Sea to the rapidly shrinking Dead Sea.

Israeli public radio says the bank will provide US$1.25 billion ($2 billion) in finance for the project.

The initial proposal is for a 180km channel to transport 200 cu m of water, of which half would gush into the Dead Sea and half would feed a giant desalination plant jointly run by Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority.

The next stage would see the construction of a canal to supply 2 billion cu m of water a year to maintain and increase water levels in the Dead Sea, which is on course to dry out completely by 2050 if nothing is done.