Defining water needs necessary for reconciliation Is there enough water for everybody in this drought-blighted region to be able to broker Israeli-Palestinian agreement on that issue? It seems there is – if all parties concerned can just agree on parameters. Let’s start with the basics: how does one disentangle water “needs” from water “rights,” and […]

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By SHARON UDASIN AND JONAH MANDEL 07/26/2011 03:50 Christian, Jewish, Muslim clerics talk about environmental awareness; “We are tourists on this land, and will leave it one day.” Talkbacks (2) Representatives from Israel’s Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities met on Monday to talk about instilling their congregants with environmental awareness. “When a priest or rabbi […]

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Agriculture Ministry’s forestry service and Tel Aviv Municipality appraise eucalyptus tree in Beit Ramon as part of new policy placing price tags on mature trees in urban areas that need to be cut down for construction projects. By Zafrir Rinat The eucalyptus tree in the middle of the Beit Ramon parking lot in south Tel […]

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By SHARON UDASIN 07/27/2011 03:18 Housing plan will deteriorate the quality of life for all citizens, nature protection society says. Talkbacks (4) Green groups blasted Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s new housing plans announced on Tuesday, censuring him for destroying open space and relying on private companies rather than reforming government bodies to tackle the ongoing […]

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Ruling comes in response to petition submitted by Yesh Din on behalf of residents of the Palestinian village of Ein Yabrud against building the plant on their land. By Zafrir Rinat The High Court of Justice yesterday forbade operating a sewage treatment plant built illegally on privately owned Palestinian land in the West Bank settlement […]

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By Khetam Malkawi AMMAN – The population growth rate in the Kingdom stood at 2.2 per cent last year, dropping by 4 per cent since 1994, a national report said, underlining “improvement” in the related social aspects. The State of Jordan’s Population Report 2010 indicated that the Kingdom’s population almost doubled from 2.1 million people […]

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By Taylor Luck AMMAN – Amman and Cairo have yet to close in on an amended natural gas deal, according to energy officials, as repairs are ongoing following this month’s act of sabotage on the Arab Gas Pipeline. According to Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Khaled Toukan, Jordanian officials have yet to be informed […]

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By Taylor Luck AMMAN – Competition is on for the construction of the Kingdom’s first nuclear reactor as energy officials launch the programme’s technology selection phase. According to Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Khaled Toukan, energy officials are slated to receive financial bids from three shortlisted firms in mid-August as part of an ongoing […]

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By Taylor Luck AMMAN – The Kingdom’s first oil field may lie near the eastern city of Azraq, according to experts as geologists urged the government to step up exploration activities in the area. According to the Jordan Geologists Association (JGA), the concession field east of Azraq is promising for the presence of fossil fuels. […]

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By Lahav Harkov 07/28/2011 MK slams rising water prices, says gov’t agreed to subsidize more water for disabled people months ago, but has yet to act upon the decision. A bill allowing the Knesset Finance Committee to regulate water prices passed in its preliminary reading on Wednesday, after the coalition withdrew its opposition to the […]

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Bottle recycling up 26% in May – YNET Israeli public throws 15.2 million plastic beverage bottles into recycling bins throughout month. ELA recycling corporation says public awareness improved due to extensive PR efforts, increase in number of bins across country – including in Arab towns Yael Darel Published: 07.21.11, 14:24 / Israel Activism The Israeli […]

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ERUSALEM (AFP) — Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders in the Holy Land joined forces Monday to launch a multi-faith environmental campaign, citing religious injunctions to protect the Earth across their three faiths. Among their plans are the convening of an international conference of religious leaders in New York ahead of the 2012 UN General Assembly, […]

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By Omar Obeidat AMMAN –– In light of the energy, water and economic challenges facing the country, a national campaign was launched Saturday to urge Jordanians rationalise their consumption of several commodities and services. Launched for the fifth consecutive year by the Consumer Protection Society (CPS) ahead of Ramadan, when food consumption increases by 35 […]

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by SHARON UDASIN 07/25/2011 04:07 Officials aim to create exchange for research on maintaining water quality, availability on Lake Michigan, Kinneret Talkbacks (1) Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and National Infrastructures Minister Dr. Uzi Landau signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Jerusalem on Sunday establishing a “Sister Lakes” relationship between Lake Michigan and the Kinneret, to […]

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Despite being under occupation, Ramallah grows and thrives. Part of this progress includes caring for the environment. The city’s mission states: “We want the city of Ramallah to be beautiful, green, safe, clean, and environmentally friendly for the sake of all its residents, a city with a distinguished architectural style that preserves its cultural heritage […]

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By Hana Namrouqa AMMAN – Long faced by hurdles and local community rejection, Qatar and Ghor Fifa in Wadi Araba have joined Jordan’s protected areas network to preserve unique ecosystems and locally and globally endangered species. In the meantime, negotiations between the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) and the local community in […]

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A Tel Aviv University study has determined antibiotics added to fishponds in northern coastal plain have been seeping into groundwater sources used for drinking water. By Zafrir Rinat A number of water sources used for drinking and irrigation contain trace amounts of potentially hazardous medicines, according to an ongoing Tel Aviv University study. They have […]

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By ALEX JOFFE 07/24/2011 22:29 In light of recent gas finds, the country must navigate its energy policy wisely. Talkbacks (2) The writer is a research scholar with the Institute for Jewish and Community Research. This article was first published by Jewish Ideas Daily (www.jewishideasdaily.com), and is reprinted with permission. Are abundant natural resources a […]

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By GLOBES / AMIRAM BARKAT 07/24/2011 23:32 The discovery that Tamar’s gas potential is larger than thought could also prove significant for the Myra, Sarah and other fields. The discovery that an additional strata in the Tamar gas field contains natural gas has broad implications for the other gas fields in the region, sources in […]

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The Union for Environmental Defense and The Movement for Quality Government claim Binat Schwartz’s appointment to the sensitive position is flawed because of her involvement in plans for the Holyland project. By Zafrir Rinat Two watchdog agencies asked State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss last week to investigate the pending appointment of a leading candidate as the […]

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