Monday, March 12, 2007

Which Plan Do You Think Feasible?

From the Cabinet communique of yesterday's meeting:-

The Cabinet discussed the Peace Corridor economic development plan and instructed Vice Premier Shimon Peres to work towards advancing regional economic development projects in cooperation with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the PA, in the Gulf of Eilat, the Arava and the Jordan Valley in order to increase regional stability by means of economic development. The plan will be defined as a national project and will receive preferential status in the framework of government activities.

The plan will comprise the following projects:

A) A water-carrier from the Gulf of Eilat to the Dead Sea (approximately 160 kilometers) in order to prevent the continued drying up of the latter, and promote agriculture and tourist projects in the Arava, water desalination and electricity production;

B) A joint Israeli-Jordanian airport in the Aqaba area.

C) An agricultural industrial zone in the Jericho area (with assistance from the Japanese government);

D) An Israeli-Palestinian industrial project in northern Samaria;

E) Joining the Israeli and Jordanian rail networks in the Beit She'an-Irbid areas.


Which one do you think feasible?

1 comment:

Suzanne Pomeranz said...

Well, the one I WANT to see happen is the Red-Dead Canal... but it's been on the drawing board for soooooo long, I'm not sure it will ever happen.

The problem with the airport is that Jordan will someday try to appropriate it as theirs...

Same with the railroad... (I was at Kibbutz Gesher last week - everyone should go to see the hydroelectric plant at Naharayim and the three nearby bridges - the most recent ones destroyed by the Jordanians in 1948...)

The question about C&D relates to other such attempts to make "joint" projects - have they worked????? I think not.

From my comments, you'll gather that I think the feasibility of accomplishing any of these is slim to none.

suzanne