CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VIII (2) ContEurVIII2 | Page 88

CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VIII (2)
Zionist ideology, as the foundation of the Israeli state within the territory
of Palestine, has greatly influenced Israel’s policies aimed at agriculture
and water development. 16
Wessels notes that the aspirations of the State of Israel to control
water resources also have political motives. The early Jewish authorities
strove to cultivate the land so that in the future the transmission of land to
Arabs would become difficult or even impossible. Thus, the cultivation
and the transformation of the land were vital for the security of the newly
emerging state. 17
In addition, as Jews were accustomed to living in more water-
abundant places previously, immigrating to the Levant’s harsh conditions
was difficult for them to adapt to. Thus, at any cost, they sought to
transform the land by promoting agriculture and planting lush vegetation.
Over time, all these became the inseparable part of their unity and
national identity in general. 18
According to Arab culture, the Arabs have come from the desert,
and for them is also of vital importance. This is one of the reasons why
water is one of the major themes in the Quran. Although the Quran is
shorter than the Bible, the word ‘water’ (ma’ - ‫)ماء‬ occurs about 60 times,
in addition to numerous indirect applications of it (rivers, seas, rain,
fountains, etc.). 19
Expressions such as“all living things (organisms) are made from
water” alike, (Surah Al-Abnya 21:30) are often repeated in the Quran,
which indicates the symbolism of water as the beginning of life.
According to the Quran, the Throne of Allah is also on the waters (Surah
11:9), from where he sends rain to the earth, to human beings, for sowing
seeds and growing crops (Surah 32:27). It is also stated that water is a gift
or mercy from Allah, and therefore it should be honored and respected
(Surah 15:22).
Likewise, for Palestinians, water is an essential tool for agriculture.
Prior to the foundation of the Israeli state in the Palestinian territories, the
Palestinian population was mainly engaged in agriculture, and farming

16
Clive Lipchin, “Water, Agriculture and Zionism: Exploring the Interface Between
Policy and Ideology,” in Integrated Water Resources Management and Security in the
Middle East, ed. Lipchin et al. (Dordrecht: Springer, 2007), 251-267.
17 Josepha Ivanka Wessels, ““Playing the Game”, Identity and Perception-of-the-other in
Water Cooperation in the Jordan River Basin,” Hydrological Sciences Journal 61, no. 7
(2016): 1323-1337.
18 Ibid.
19 Hillel, Rivers of Eden.
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