Editing Arab–Israeli peace projects (section)

=== Valley of Peace initiative ===
{{Main|Valley of Peace initiative}}
The [[Valley of Peace initiative]] is an effort to promote economic cooperation between [[Israel]], [[Jordan]] and [[Palestinian National Authority|Palestinians]]. It was initially centered around efforts and joint projects in the [[Arabah|Arava/Arabah Valley]], along which runs the southern portion of the Israel–Jordan border.

The idea for this project began in 2005, when Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority asked the World Bank to analyze the feasibility of this idea.<ref name="times12115">[http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-jordan-unveil-800m-joint-plan-for-red-dead-canal/ Israel, Jordan unveil $800m joint plan for 'Red-Dead' canal: As well as rejuvenating the rapidly diminishing Dead Sea, the canal will bring drinking water to both countries] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402070604/http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-jordan-unveil-800m-joint-plan-for-red-dead-canal/ |date=April 2, 2016}}, ''Times of Israel'', December 1, 2015.</ref>

The Valley of Peace initiative began with a joint proposal in 2008 for a number of water-related initiatives.<ref name="Red sea plan">[http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Dramatic-new-support-for-Red-Dead-plan Dramatic new support for Red-Dead plan] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160104173532/http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Dramatic-new-support-for-Red-Dead-plan |date=January 4, 2016}} by Judy Siegel-Itzkovich, ''Jerusalem Post'', May 16, 2008.</ref> The study concluded in 2013, and an agreement was signed in 2013 by Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority to move ahead with the plan.<ref name="times12115" />

The "Red-Dead" project to build a canal from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea was originally conceived and created within the Valley of Peace Initiative.<ref>[http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Government-promises-to-press-ahead-with-Peress-Peace-Valley GOVERNMENT PROMISES TO PRESS AHEAD WITH PERES'S 'PEACE VALLEY'], BY HERB KEINON, Jerusalem Post, MARCH 11, 2007</ref><ref>[http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/122952 Peres' 'Peace Valley' Project Approved], israelnationalnews.com, March 11, 2007.</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=wYq1CwAAQBAJ&dq=Red-Dead+project+valley+of+peace&pg=PA73 The Eastern Mediterranean in Transition: Multipolarity, Politics and Power], By Spyridon N. Litsas, Aristotle Tziampiris, page 73.</ref> It was officially referred to within that plan as the "Peace Carrier."<ref>[http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/world-leaders-to-meet-in-tel-aviv-on-israeli-arab-cooperation-1.381767 World Leaders to Meet in Tel Aviv on Israeli-Arab Cooperation], Haaretz, August 31, 2011.</ref><ref>[http://www.isracast.com/article.aspx?id=756 Valley of Peace] - By Shimon Peres, Friday, August 10, 2007 Isracast website.</ref>

====Red-Dead project====
In early 2015, Israel and Jordan signed a major agreement to carry out the "Red-Dead" project, and to address the major regional problems of acute shortage of clean fresh water in Jordan, and the rapid contraction of the Dead Sea. A new desalination plant to be built near the Jordanian tourist resort of Aqaba would convert salt water from the Red Sea into fresh water for use in southern Israel and southern Jordan; each region would get eight billion to 13 billion gallons a year.<ref name="israelideas">[http://www.israelideas.org/#!Israel-Desalinization-Technology-Leads-to-%E2%80%9CHistoric%E2%80%9D-Agreement-with-Jordan/c14g0/55384bec0cf23d0164444616 Israel Desalinization Technology Leads to “Historic” Agreement with Jordan] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027034754/http://www.israelideas.org/#!Israel-Desalinization-Technology-Leads-to-%E2%80%9CHistoric%E2%80%9D-Agreement-with-Jordan/c14g0/55384bec0cf23d0164444616 |date=October 27, 2016}}, israelideas.org, April 22, 2015.</ref> This process would produces about as much brine as a waste product; the brine would be piped more than 100 miles to help replenish the Dead Sea, already known for its high salt content. This would reinforce the status of the Dead Sea as an important economic resource to both nations, in multiple areas including tourism, industry and business.<ref name="times12115" /><ref name="israelideas" />

In December 2015, Israel and Jordan formally released the technical plans to move ahead with this project.<ref name="times12115"/> In May 2016, Israel and Jordan presented their plan for a Red Sea-Dead Sea canal to the World Bank and other potential investors.<ref>[http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/business/.premium-1.718857 Jordanians Host Red Sea-Dead Sea Canal Conference. The Project is estimated to cost $400 million.] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161008002605/http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/business/.premium-1.718857 |date=October 8, 2016}} ''Haaretz'', May 10, 2016.</ref>

In July 2017, Israel and the Palestinian Authority announced a new deal to provide drinking water for millions of Palestinians. this was part of the larger deal between Israel, Jordan and Palestinians to build a 220-kilometer (137-mile) pipeline to convey water from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea. One benefit of this canal would be to replenish the dwindling Dead Sea. Also, the water in this canal will generate electricity for local towns, and will also power a desalination plant to produce drinking water.<ref>[http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-palestinians-reach-landmark-water-deal-for-west-bank-gaza-strip/ Israel, Palestinians reach landmark water deal for West Bank, Gaza], By Raphael Ahren and Melanie Lidman, Times of ISrael website, July 13, 2017.</ref><ref>[http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Israel-PA-agree-on-water-deal-499575 Trump envoy Greenblatt facilitates historic Israeli-Palestinian water deal], By Herb Keinon, July 13, 2017</ref>