between Israelis and Palestinians. Israel's neighbor, Jordan, has even less. Jordan and Israel are no longer enemies, but relations between the two nations certainly have room for improvement. Perhaps a water sharing plan could assist in that endeavor.

In an effort to bring water and friendlier relations to Israel and Jordan, the Red-Dead conduit will allow water from the Red Sea to flow into the shrinking Dead Sea. The Conduit has long been in the planning and researching stage, but recently made its way back into the news, as Israel Policy Forum's MidEast Peace Pulse posted the last month. The post stated that Israel, Jordan, and the World Bank agreed to continue planning this project. Some environmental scientists are still unsure of the repercussions of mixing the two water sources, and feasibility studies will not be completed until next year. In the meantime, Israel and Jordan - with the support of the World Bank - seem eager for the possible political and economic benefits of the conduit, in addition to the increased water availability so drastically needed for the region.

The increased water flow mostly helps Jordan. While Israel may benefit economically from the project, it is truly Jordan who needs the conduit. Jordan will be able to desalinate that water, and use it for their taps, which at their current state are often dry. Being able to provide much of the infrastructure for the conduit, as well as having the majority of the conduit built on Israel's side of the border, gives Israel a perfect opportunity to reach out a hand for stronger peace with Jordan.

(This post was authored by APN intern Elizabeth Goldstein)