IV 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 238
Supporting efforts to advance regional and community based water and sani-
tation needs of Israelis, Palestinians, and Jordanians as an effective 
bridge for peace building in the Middle East. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 26, 2003
Mr. ROHRABACHER submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on International Relations 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Supporting efforts to advance regional and community based 
water and sanitation needs of Israelis, Palestinians, and 
Jordanians as an effective bridge for peace building in 
the Middle East.
Whereas water is a scarce resource for Israelis, Palestinians, 
and Jordanians which can be symbolized as a ‘‘time-
bomb’’ waiting to explode if not defused expeditiously; 
Whereas all significant water resources in the Middle East, 
both surface and groundwater, cross borders and are a 
shared resource between the people of the region; 
Whereas, due to lack of awareness and capacity, insufficient 
resources have in the past been allocated to protect this 
resource from pollution by sewage;
•HCON 238 IH 
Whereas an estimated 45 million cubic meters of untreated 
sewage percolate into the shared Israeli-Palestinian 
groundwater called the ‘‘Mountain Aquifer’’; 
Whereas if the current level of pollution of the Mountain Aq-
uifer was to continue for another decade this key source 
of drinking water for Israelis and Palestinians will be lost 
and will further exacerbate water scarcity in one of the 
worlds most water-poor regions; 
Whereas the southern channel of the River Jordan, a reli-
giously important river to millions of people all over the 
world, has been neglected to such an extent that in sum-
mer months mostly untreated sewage is all that flows 
down to its terminal lake, the Dead Sea; 
Whereas the Dead Sea, located at the lowest point on earth 
and as the saltiest body of water on earth, is unique in 
its therapeutic values and cultural heritage; 
Whereas the Dead Sea, due to the diversion of water up-
stream, such as that which historically flowed down the 
River Jordan, is now drying up by approximately one 
yard in depth per year and has shrunk by one third in 
its surface area in recent years thereby causing major en-
vironmental problems in the region; 
Whereas the water resources of this region, recognized by all 
peoples as vital to basic life and due to their shared na-
ture, are therefore an important issue to promote under-
standing and cooperation among Israelis, Palestinians, 
and Jordanians, besides vast tourism and employment 
opportunities which will result therefrom; 
Whereas local community projects, such as ‘‘Good Water 
Makes Good Neighbors’’ which is supported in part by 
the United States Government, have brought concrete
•HCON 238 IH 
partnership and positive results to 11 communities in the 
Middle East; 
Whereas with the advancement of the Middle East peace 
process it is essential and most effective to involve not 
only political leaders but local communities dependant on 
the shared-water resources in peace building efforts; 
Whereas a dangerous political impasse has been reached in 
the region, which urgently requires some tangible devel-
opment to keep up the momentum for peace developed in 
June 2003 at Aqaba, Jordan; 
Whereas a decision to proceed with the ‘‘Red Sea to Dead 
Sea’’ project, if proven to be environmentally and eco-
nomically sound, could provide a tangible and unique op-
portunity as a catalyst for peace in the region, bringing 
concomitant benefits of a vast and sustainable supply of 
drinking water, the saving of the Dead Sea, electric 
power supply, and incentives for building large tourism 
facilities with attendant employment, all of which are 
desperately required in the region; and 
Whereas the United States should take the lead in inves-
tigating the viability and the implementation of the ‘‘Red 
Sea to Dead Sea’’ project with Israeli, Palestinian and 
Jordanian consent and involvement: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That Congress—
(1) urges the United States Government to in-
crease its support for the efforts to promote local 
Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian community co-
operation on water issues in order to improve access 
to this vital resource, protect this scarce resource
•HCON 238 IH 
from pollution, rehabilitate the River Jordan and the 
Dead Sea, and in the process advance peace in the 
Middle East and stimulate tourism and employment 
in the region; and 
(2) urges the United States Government to take 
the lead in investigating the viability of and pro-
moting and supporting regional water projects, such 
as the ‘‘Red Sea to Dead Sea’’ project and desalina-
tion projects and other water and sanitation projects 
which would make accessible large quantities of 
water to Jordanians, Israelis, and Palestinians and 
save the Dead Sea, and in the process advance peace 
in the Middle East and stimulate tourism and em-
ployment in the region.
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