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Last update - 23:15 12/08/2007 Jordan mulling cheaper alternative to Red Sea-Dead Sea canal By Zafrir Rinat, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Dead Sea, environment, canal  Jordan is considering a cheaper, quicker alternative to a planned canal that is designed to replenish the dwindling Dead Sea with water from the Red Sea and provide Amman with drinking water. The Jordanians are concerned the construction of the canal will be delayed either due to its high cost, or the opposition of Israeli environmental groups, and therefore are considering building a desalination plant in Aqaba and pumping the water through pipes to Amman. That solution would not resolve problem of the dwindling size of the Dead Sea, but Israeli sources said they believe that Jordan will opt for the cheaper alternative should the construction of the canal prove difficult, because rehabilitating the Dead Sea is considered less important to Jordan than addressing the country's water shortage. Advertisement The World Bank and private investors are expected to finance the Red Sea-Dead Sea canal, but Saudi Arabian businessmen who visited Aqaba recently expressed an interest in financing the desalination project, should the World Bank renege on financing the canal. The World Bank and Water Authority sponsored a public meeting Sunday at the Shalom Plaza Neveh Ilan Hotel outside Jerusalem, in order to discuss options for rehabilitating the Dead Sea. During the meeting, World Bank representatives and Israel Water Commissioner Dr. Uri Shani presented the intended viability studies for building the canal. Some members of the public expressed their concern that the World Bank is not considering alternatives to the canal, such as replenishing the Jordan River with desalinized water from Israel. The Jordan River is the Dead Sea's main tributary. Roughly 200 people participated in the meeting, and over 20 people spoke. All of them demanded that the World Bank examine alternative solutions, in order to prevent the expected environmental harm to the Arava, the Bay of Aqaba, and the composition of the water in the Dead Sea. The World Bank representatives said they are unaware of plans to construct manmade lakes along the canal to attract tourists, although Israeli government sources said they believe the construction of the lakes are essential to make the project financially viable Bookmark to del.icio.us   Siniora vs. Hezbollah The Lebanon prime minister accuses Hezbollah of staging a coup. Plant down - again Palestinians say tha Gaza power plant has closed due to a fuel shortage.   1.   an alternative 22:51  |  realism 12/08/07   2.   an alternative 23:39  |  Axel 12/08/07   3.   Dig artificial lakes 01:21  |  arun 13/08/07   4.   an option 02:19  |  yehuda 13/08/07   5.   Red Sea-Dead Sea canal 02:55  |  Naim S. Mahlab 13/08/07   6.   to #2 02:58  |  Henry 13/08/07   7.   Or Just Wait 03:44  |  Mark of Lewiston 13/08/07   8.   Sea water salt is almost all (97%) Sodium Chloride and will 03:50  |  Man deVoshkes 13/08/07   9.   A third alternative 05:10  |  Jim 13/08/07   10.   Jordan`s king is smarter than Peres 08:21  |  S 13/08/07   11.   Lowermilk Plan has not benn compared to all. 00:17  |  sam 14/08/07   12.   red sea 11:15  |  kaye liao 11/05/08

Read & React Israel is watching Lebanon closely, but won't meddle Responses: 35 Zvi Bar'el: Israel is ignoring the possibility Hezbollah may soon run Lebanon Responses: 2 Editorial: For the first time it seems Olmert's hard core of loyalists is collapsing Responses: 3 Gideon Levy: PM probe raises serious questions about U.S. Jewry-Israel relations Responses: 4 Rosner's Domain What Does It Mean To Be "Pro-Israel"? Malley will not advise Obama (WTR) Poll: What happend in Lebanon? Obama and the Jews: is 61% enough? Who's pushing the US to war with Iran? (WTR) More Headlines 11:40 Israel watching closely but won't meddle in Lebanon 10:38 ANALYSIS: Clashes in Beirut - not only Lebanon's problem 11:57 Report: Talansky paid Olmert's $4,717 hotel bill in 2005 10:02 Hamas militant killed, another injured in southern Gaza blast 11:53 Israel to hear Egypt on Gaza truce idea on Monday 11:34 Tales from a N.Y. cabby: 'My first wife was Muslim, my second was Jewish' 11:56 Grant prays for Man. U fumble to give Chelsea the championship 12:01 Businessman Benjamin Gaon succumbs to cancer at age 73 10:51 Organizers hope Olmert probe won't cast shadow on Peres conference 01:16 Jewish Republicans are jockeying to win McCain's favor 10:59 21 Qassams hit the Negev on Saturday, lightly wounding five Previous Editions Select Day 09 may 08 may 07 may 06 may 05 may 04 may 02 may 01 may 30 apr 29 apr 28 apr 27 apr

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