THE PLOT

Israel is a small country covered mostly by desert. Its water sources lie in the north, and mostly in territory that is either disputed or dangerous, close to the borders with Syria and Lebanon. Israel was expanding, its population was growing, new settlements were rising (especially down in the Negev Desert), and so Israel needed water to grow. To get more water, Israel would need to tap into the Jordan River. 

In 1953 Israel started building a canal on the Jordan. This section of the river was fully within Israel territory — but only by a couple hundred feet. Syria declared that it would block Israel’s effort by force if necessary. To try to avoid conflict, the United States pushed the Johnston Plan: a water-sharing agreement between Israel and its neighbors. Syria and Lebanon refused the deal, but Jordan and Israel agreed to stick to it.

Because the Sea of Galilee (in Hebrew: Kinneret) was fully in Israeli hands, Israel didn’t need its neighbors’ permission to draw water. In 1964 Israel opened the National Water Carrier, a huge canal that brought water from the Sea all over Israel. 

But Syria and Jordan controlled parts of the Jordan River headwaters that fed the Galilee, and they were determined to stop Israel’s use of water, and thus its growth and strength, to buy time for the Arab countries to eventually attack and destroy the country. They launched a project to divert the headwaters, threatening Israel’s water supply. Israel developed a tank that could strike the Arabs’ bulldozers from more than 2 miles away, preventing the diversion project from going forward. The border region became increasing unstable and hostile.

The 1960s also saw a huge push for developing diplomatic relations with African countries. Israel exported the drip irrigation technology developed by Simcha Blass, along with other agricultural techniques, humanitarian assistance, and and thousands of Israeli doctors, engineers, teachers, and military officers in an effort to develop better relations. Israel set up farming communities, schools, clinics, programs for women, military training, and even schools for the blind. Most African countries welcomed Israeli support, and the Jewish State became a go-to amongst the developing world. Its deep investment in Africa paid off during the 1960s, reducing Israel’s international isolation.

THE PEOPLE

Simcha Blass: Polish-born water engineer who in the 1950s invented a device to enable drip irrigation. His technology made for huge progress in agricultural techniques and yields around the world.

Eric Johnston: American diplomat who lent his name to a water-sharing agreement between Israel and its neighbors. 

Golda Meir: Israeli Foreign Minister who made a big push to develop diplomatic relations with African countries.

THE BIG IDEAS

The National Water Carrier, opened in 1964, was the biggest infrastructure project in Israeli history. It brought water from the Sea of Galilee down along the coast and into the desert, enabling new settlements, towns, agricultural development, and increased living space for Israel’s growing population. The Carrier runs over 2/3 the length of the country and was the engine that turbo-charged Israel’s economic growth of the 1960s.

The Israeli-Syrian border area had become a major conflict zone by the mid-1960s, which impacted control over water resources. The Syrians used the Golan Heights as a platform to attack Israel, especially hitting civilian targets — kibbutzim and fishing boats, etc — within Israeli territory. Israel used the Air Force to strike back. Although there were established demilitarized zones, the Syrians were still able to attack Israel, and these exchanges of fire frequently escalated. 

The 1960s saw a huge expansion in Israel’s relationships with African countries. Golda Meir argued that, like Israel and the Jews, Africans had suffered centuries of persecution and won their independence from colonialists. Sharing Israel’s know-how would benefit humanity and bring Israel much-needed diplomatic friendships. Thousands of Israelis were sent abroad, and thousands of Africans brought to Israel to study.

FUN FACTS
The Israeli company founded by Simcha Blass, Netafim, today operates water projects in 150 countries.

The border between Israel and Syria ran as close as 50 feet from the edge of the Sea of Galilee.

Before he became Uganda’s dictator, and famously helped the Palestinians hijack an Israeli airplane, Idi Amin trained as a paratrooper with the IDF.

© Jason Harris 2020