Making the World a Better (and Cleaner) Place

April 9, 2008

Many different people have tried to approach the Arab-Israeli conflict from a variety of angles over the years – theologically, spiritually, artistically, and of course, politically. One individual who is championing another approach to peace and reconciliation is Professor Alon Tal of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Professor Tal, who is affiliated with the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research at the university, thinks that one way to find common ground with the Palestinians and Israel’s Arab neighbors is by working together to address the many environmental problems that plague the region.

Professor Tal was in Boston this past Monday, where he addressed a group organized by the American Associates of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. In his remarks he talked about many of the pressing issues that face Israel in terms of protecting and preserving its natural resources, as well as ways that regional cooperation on some of these issues might lead to reconciliation on the political and security front. One thing that was clear from the talk is that Israel, which effectively sits at the crossroads of three continents, is a place of incredible biodiversity, boasting a large number of migratory bird species, large mammals and one of the most important coral reef systems in the world.

Citing the threat posed to Israel’s environment by air and water pollution, as well as continued urban growth, Professor Tal emphasized that without regional cooperation it will be difficult for Israel to meet these challenges on its own. He said that while there have been some examples of cooperation in the past there is still a long way to go. He cited discussions in the early 1990’s between Jordan and Israel about ways to deal with potential environmental disasters in the Gulf of Aquaba as a positive, but limited, step, and mentioned that Israel, Egypt and Jordan have also worked together to clean up oil spills in waters that they share.

In terms of the relationship between Israel and the Palestinians, Professor Tal said he saw environmental issues as an important topic of discussion in future talks, mentioning that pollution travels between Israel and the Palestinian Territories. He said that this is an issue of common concern on a number of points, including water scarcity, sewage treatment and the protection of Israel’s beaches. He pointed out a number of obstacles to coming to agreements on these issues, however, citing a lack of prioritization on both sides, differing socio-economic realities and economic resources and general enmity borne of the conflict.

Despite the difficulties, Professor Tal seemed optimistic that many of these problems can be addressed if Israel and its neighbors are willing to allocate the time and resources. He pointed to the desalinization plant at Eilat, which is helping to address issues of water scarcity, as one example of an environmental success story in Israel. Professor Tal also emphasized the diverse nature of the student body at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, highlighting the ways that this international group of students (many of whom come from Arab countries) are learning new ways not only to protect the environment, but new ways of relating to each other and to Israel.