WASHINGTON (AP) The World Bank says senior Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian officials have signed an agreement to share scarce water resources in the Mideast region that includes use of desalinated sea water.
Ministers responsible for water in the three governments signed the accord on Monday: Silvan Salom for Israel, Hazim el-Naser for Jordan and Shaddad Attili for the Palestinian Authority.
Initiatives to be pursued over the coming months by the parties include development of a desalination plant in the Red Sea city of Aqaba with water to be shared by Israel and Jordan and the sale of 20,000 to 30,000 cubic meters of water by Mekerot, the Israeli water authority, to the Palestinians for use in the West Bank.
The World Bank will assist the governments in moving ahead on these activities.
