Netanyahu’s water diplomacy for Iran
Benjamin Netanyahu has made an "unprecedented offer" to Iranians, saying that Israel will step in where their own regime has abandoned them, and help them to survive the drought.
BENJAMIN Netanyahu has made an “unprecedented offer” to Iranians, saying that Israel will step in where their own regime has abandoned them, and help them to survive the drought.
He has launched a Persian-language website with information about Israeli water-conservation expertise, and new articles will be posted briefing Iranians on the best ways to get by with limited water.
“Israel has the know-how to prevent environmental catastrophe in Iran,” Netanyahu declared. The new website, he said, will include “detailed plans on how Iranians can recycle their waste water”, and advice for how farmers can make their crops drought-resistant.
In doing this, Netanyahu is building on past declarations that Israel has only friendship for the Iranian people.
In the latest video he said: “The Iranian people are victims of a cruel and tyrannical regime that denies them vital water. Israel stands with the people of Iran and that is why I want to help save countless Iranian lives.”
He said, “The Iranian regime shouts, ‘Death to Israel!’ In response, Israel shouts, ‘Life to the Iranian people!'”
The Israeli environmental activist Gidon Bromberg told The AJN, “Iran is facing terrible drought and water resource and this requires leadership.”
This means that much of what Israel has achieved can’t be replicated by Iran unless the leaders are on board.
However, he said that normal Iranians can benefit from advice on what crops will best survive the drought, and from ways to reuse waste water, especially grey water, which is relatively easy to deal with.
In this context, Israel has “no secrets” to share as the information is already in the public sphere, but providing clear user-friendly information in Persian could be useful.
Bromberg, Israeli Director of EcoPeace Middle East, added: “The message the Prime Minister is sending is a correct message – that drought and climate change affect us all and if we don’t learn to cooperate and work together it will affect us all.”
NATHAN JEFFAY
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