The Lie:
- Israel monopolizes regional water and denies access to its neighbors.
The Truth:
- Israel turned extreme scarcity into abundance — and now exports water, technology, and expertise to dozens of countries, such as Jordan, as well as to regions like Latin America and Africa, and the Palestinians.
Background:
- Over 60% of Israel is desert, yet it now produces more water than it consumes through desalination, recycling, and innovation.
- Israeli water technology is used from California to Kenya, from Vanuatu to India — and is now sought even by Iran’s opposition.
Truth Explained
- Israel recycles 90–95% of its wastewater, the highest rate globally, supplying agriculture and freeing freshwater for homes and neighbors.
https://cufi.org/issue/10-ways-israels-water-expertise-is-helping-the-world/ - Desalination supplies 80–90% of Israel’s municipal water, thanks to world-leading plants like Sorek and Ashkelon — ensuring 24/7 nationwide supply even during drought. https://www.hadassah.org/story/let-there-be-water-israel-s-solution-for-a-water-starved-world
- Israeli humanitarian groups export water solutions globally — from solar pumping in seven African nations to WASH systems in Fiji, Haiti, Kenya, Uganda, and Myanmar.
https://cufi.org/issue/10-ways-israels-water-expertise-is-helping-the-world/ - In December 2023, the Inter-American Development Bank brought representatives from 12 Latin American and Caribbean countries to Israel to learn about its water governance, desalination, and reuse systems.
https://blogs.iadb.org/agua/en/how-to-solve-a-countrys-water-problem-learning-from-the-israeli-experience/ - Israel is not “stealing water” from Palestinians. Under the 1995 Oslo Accord, Israel must supply Palestinian territories with 31 MCM/year — yet today provides ~50 MCM/year, while Palestinians consume ~200 MCM/year total. Major Palestinian shortages stem from Palestinian mismanagement — including drilling 300+ illegal wells, failing to treat 95% of their sewage, refusing to build new desalination or wastewater plants even when approved, and continuing outdated irrigation practices that waste enormous volumes of water.
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/overview-of-israel-palestinian-water-issue - Iran is the cautionary opposite: Decades of regime mismanagement, corruption, and diversion of funds to terror groups led to collapsing dams, aquifers, and “no remedy” warnings. Sen. John Fetterman noted Iran chose nuclear programs over water infrastructure. https://x.com/SenFettermanPA/status/1992983366065610874?s=20
- Even Iran now seeks Israeli expertise: In September 2025, a delegation tied to Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi visited Israel to study Israeli water tech for rebuilding a post-regime Iran. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-866130
Quotes
- “Israel is the solution to the problem. If you look at what this regime [in Iran] is doing, it makes the people suffer — without water, with huge air pollution, with failing energy systems. We are the solution to all of this.” — Gila Gamliel
- “Every country has something to learn from how Israel became water-abundant and drought-proof. Israel shows that with planning, innovation, and smart management, even the driest places can secure their water future.” — Seth Siegel
- “Israel provides its entire population 24/7 access to healthy, safe, on-demand water… and even sends water to Gaza every day, including during conflict.” — Seth Siegel
- “Iran spent billions to build a bomb instead of a water infrastructure. Their people are paying the price.” — Sen. John Fetterman
Takeaway
- Israel didn’t just solve its own water crisis — it developed the technologies and policies the world now depends on to survive the era of global water scarcity.
