Regional Cooperation Ministry: Israeli, Jordanians and Palestinians to Work Together to Save the Dead Sea

Regional Cooperation Ministry: Israeli, Jordanians and Palestinians to Work
Together to Save the Dead Sea
(Communicated by the Deputy Regional Cooperation Minister’s Media Adviser)

A dedication ceremony was held this morning (Tuesday, 22 November 2016), at
the Masada National Park Visitor’s Center, for Dead Sea Research Institute,
in which Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian Authority scientists will work
together to study the Dead Sea in order to find ways to rehabilitate it and
the region around it (on both shores). The institute was established under
the aegis of the International Cooperation Ministry, which invested NIS 4
million in it. Additional partners in the establishment of the institute are
the Tamar Regional Council, Tel Aviv University, the JNF and the Israel
Nature and Parks Authority.

Deputy Regional Cooperation Minister Ayoob Kara said that the institute
would coordinate the work of four separate research institutes in Israel and
Jordan that are working on the area from the Arava to the Jordan Valley and
are carrying out advanced studies for the benefit of the local population
and neighboring peoples. He added, “This place serves as a symbol of the
deep desire of the Israeli people for cooperation with our neighbors in
joint research, progress and development in order to improve life in general
and our common life in particular. The Dead Sea, the preservation of which
we are currently fighting for, is an historic source for heritage, tourism
and raw materials used by the entire world in technological, agricultural
and medical developments. Under my leadership, the Regional Cooperation
Ministry is advancing many projects to raise awareness of the Dead Sea with
our neighbors, especially the canal between the seas which, in a few years,
will raise the level of the Dead Sea by millions of cubic meters of water
and supply freshwater to the peoples of the region. Taking a historical and
cultural view, I will work together with the various regional councils to
rename the section of Highway #90 between Jericho and Eilat, which was known
in ancient times as a conduit for the spice trade, after the Queen of Sheba,
as a sign of cooperation between us and our neighbors.”

The institute will coordinate the research that is currently being done on
the Dead Sea, boost interest and define a list of priorities. It will also
serve to increase the study and teaching of various disciplines associated
with the Dead Sea, assist in carrying out studies in the area and be a
regional center for researchers and students.

Studies carried out by the institute will concentrate on issues such as:
Climate and environmental medicine and health; Dead Sea studies (flora and
fauna, environment, geology, archaeology and heritage); natural resource,
environmental and community management and regional-international
cooperation, as well as bio- and nano-technology.