Power and Water in the Middle East: The Hidden Politics of the Palestinian-Israeli Water Conflict (Library of Modern Middle East Studies)

Power and Water in the Middle East provides a powerful new perspective on the Palestinian-Israeli water conflict. Adopting a new approach to understanding water conflict - hydro-hegemony- the author shows the conflict to be much more deeply entrenched than previously thought and reveals how existing tactics to control water are leading away from peace and towards continued domination and a squandering of this vital resource. Exisiting theories tend to play down the negative effects of non-violent water conflicts, and what is often presented as co-operation between countries hides a deep imbalance and underlying state of conflict between them. Mark Zeitoun's important work shows how the new analytical framework of hydro-hegemony may be used to expose the hidden dynamics of water conflicts around the world and how, in particular, it yields critical insights into the Middle East water situation. Combining extensive technical knowledge with personal experience in the field, the author offers important new findings that will interest researchers, professionals and policy makers involved with the politics of the Middle East and with water conflict more generally.