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Conflicts between neighboring nations over water resources have resulted in strained relations, leading to difficulty at the negotiating table. Most cases involve surface waters that act as a shared boundary or surface waters that flow from one nation into another. Transnational groundwater management can be even more complex because there is greater uncertainty about supply quantities, hydrology of recharge zones, and movement of water within the aquifer. Issues of hydrology, economic growth, and population growth are all key to a fair resolution.Nowhere in the world is the resolution of water conflict more central to peace than in the Middle East, especially peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. The political climate makes negotiations on water supplies difficult, yet water allocation and use must be addressed in an equitable manner if a lasting peace is to be found. Complicating negotiations is the lack of solid scientific information on groundwater hydrology in the region, and the lack of sufficient institutional infrastructure to effectively manage the resource.This recently published compendium by Eran Feitelson and Marwan Haddad represents the culmination of a 7-year study of water management issues in Israel and the West Bank. Negotiators recognize the importance of groundwater management to a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This volume looks at methods to manage the Mountain Aquifer that lies under parts of the West Bank and Israel. While the book's focus is the Mountain Aquifer, the authors recognize that any water negotiations will need to include other areas (Gaza) and other supplies (surface) in the region. Initially, new supplies will need to be developed to meet basic domestic needs. Ultimately, water is necessary for economic growth. And for peace to succeed, there will be a need for prosperity for both the Israelis and the Palestinians.Using papers from four different workshops, Feitelson and Haddad have assembled a text that covers a broad range of issues in transboundary groundwater management. Many of the chapters provide critical information for setting up groundwater management policies and institutions. However, the overall quality of the book is very uneven. There are large variations in quality between chapters and occasionally within individual chapters. Topics and pieces of many chapters overlap, creating a level of redundancy frustrating to the reader. Several chapters could use additional editing to correct for grammatical and typographical errors (some paragraphs end in mid-sentence and one table is missing the data). That said, for the reader who is willing to pick, choose, and skim, a majority of the chapters provide useful information for the management of transnational groundwater resources.The book begins with an introductory chapter by the editors that sets the stage for considering groundwater's uniqueness when creating management institutions. The authors then provide the customary overview of the chapters to come. The book itself is divided into ...

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Technical Papers are published to communicate the results of the Bank's work to the development community with the least possible delay. The typescript of this paper therefore has not been prepared in accordance with the procedures appropriate to formal printed texts, and the World Bank accepts no responsibility for errors. Some sources cited in this paper may be informal documents that are not readily available. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the author(s) and should not be attributed in any manner to the World Bank, to its affiliated organizations, or to members of its Board of Executive Directors or the countries they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this volume do not imply on the part of the World Bank An Israeli-Palestinian team conducted the work on which this paper is based over a fouryear period. Shaul Arlosoroff and Taher Nasseredin participated in all the stages of this work. Ali Wihaidi participated in the first phase of the study. In addition, many experts participated in their private capacities in the four workshops conducted as part of this effort. Many of the ideas presented in these pages originate from the important contributions of these team members. We thank them all for their support.

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