Top 5 things you need to know about this: The secret new plan to save Israel from flooding the entire Middle East
- A radical new project in Israel is proposing to pump massive amounts of desalinated water into the shrinking Dead Sea, a plan that could literally reshape the region’s geography and economy.
- Engineers say the project would not only restore the iconic salt lake but also generate hydroelectric power, potentially making Israel a clean energy exporter to Jordan and Palestine.
- Environmentalists are sounding the alarm, warning that mixing different water chemistries could trigger a chemical reaction that turns parts of the Dead Sea white, creating massive gypsum formations.
- The plan is a geopolitical chess move: Israel hopes the water-sharing deal will defuse tensions with neighboring countries, effectively using H2O as a tool for regional peace.
- If approved, the project would be the largest of its kind in the world, costing an estimated $10 billion and taking at least a decade to complete, but experts say the stakes for Israel’s survival in a drying climate couldn’t be higher.