that risks irreparable damage to basic water supply
to consumers," Tal said. "Our concern is to at least
guarantee drinking water next year."
According to water experts, the level of the
Kinneret ideally should not be allowed to drop
under 214 meters below sea level. That's just about
1 meter above its present level — and the red line
already has been lowered several times.
Mekorot's Sapir pumping station draws water from
the Kinneret'and pumps it directly into the national
water carrier.
If the level drops much beyond the committee's
recommended cutoff, the station's three pumps
would not be able to operate at the same time —
and all three pumps have to operate during the sum-
mer to ensure a steady flow of water.
The committee report showed that the coastal and
mountain aquifers are similarly depleted, with water
levels at or below red lines.
Two straight winters of average rainfall and unex-
pectedly heavy spring showers haven't been enough
to alleviate the water crisis. Moreover, the current
solutions have been criticized as stop-gap answers to
a mounting crisis.
Successive governments have contemplated poten-
tial solutions, from building desalination plants to
recycling treated sewage, purifying polluted wells or
importing water from Turkey.
One of the problems with desalination plants is
deciding who would build them. Mekorot is the
obvious choice, but the monopolistic public utility is
embroiled in an endless battle with its 2,100 workers
over company attempts to reorganize and improve
efficiency.
Workers are worried about lowered salaries and
longer hours. But they're also concerned about pre-
serving and protecting Israel's water supply from pri-
settlement of Shilo, where the Shohams live.
After Yehuda was hit by the rock, says Avraham, "I
bought myself a bulletproof vest for when I drive."
The same week that Yehuda was struck, a teenage
settler driving through the West Bank was saved
when a Palestinian bullet struck his bulletproof vest.
About a week earlier, though, settler Gilad Zar was
killed by Palestinian bullets because he refused on
principle to wear such a vest.
Senior Israeli army officials say that among settlements,
Hebron is in a class by itself when it comes to taking
risks. The decision by Shalhevet Pass's parents to bring
her to the playground was "irresponsible," they say.
Yet the playground is still filled with kindergarten
children, teachers and parents, and the settlement
refused to accept a security roof over the playground,
to protect it from snipers on the hill 300 yards away,
even after the infant was killed.
One mother who gives her name only as Rina,
who was standing there this week with her infant in
a baby carriage, said, "Even if we have a roof over
the playground, as soon as we take our children out
of the playground they'll be exposed again."
In the end, Rina says, "Everything is predeter-
mined by God."
After Hebron, the most reckless settlements are the
radical ones near Nablus, such as Yitzhar and Bracha,
and the small "outposts" that have been set up within a
vase companies that may not have Israel's best inter-
ests in mind, said Meir El Azra, head of the Mekorot
labor union.
Ironically, the most pressing reason for Mekorot's
reorganization is the continuing drought.
Yet any investment in pumping, importing or
desalinating water will require large amounts of capi-
tal, and Mekorot isn't competitive enough to partici-
pate in the process.
Turkish Water
Last year, former Prime Minister Ehud Barak's gov-
ernment approved the Turkish option. It took anoth-
er year for the government to begin seeking bids
from companies to ship 30 million to 35 million
cubic meters of water annually from Turkey.
Recently, the government said it is sending a dele-
gation to Turkey to discuss price and terms.
When negotiations began several years ago, Turkey
sought $0.32 per cubic meter, while Israel offered
$0.08 to $0.10 per cubic meter.
In the meantime, there has been a sharp increase
in shipping prices.
All told, the cost of the water — including getting
it into the national pipeline — could bring the total
price to $0.65 per cubic meter. That's in line with
the cost of desalinated water, which is estimated at
$0.60 to $0.70 per cubic meter.
Importing water from Turkey seems to provide a
quick and easy solution. But as local experts have
pointed out, importing water has political and secu-
rity downsides.
"Water isn't like telephone services or cable televi-
sion," union leader El Azra said. "It's a life necessity.
We don't want to further endanger our already pre-
carious water situation." ❑
mile or so of the "mother settlements," say army officials.
These and other settlements have refused the Irael
Defense Force's offer to fence off their areas from
surrounding Palestinians. "They have no protection
to speak of," says an IDF official.
Every settler has to draw his own line.
Kiryat Arba's Aharon Domb, a long-time settler
activist, says the only limitation he's placed on him-
self since the start of the latest intifada (Palestinian
uprising) is that he no longer drives past Rachel's
Tomb, which has come under Palestinian control. "I
don't think I'd get out of there alive," he says.
Domb gladly drives with shatter-proof windows,
and would even more gladly drive in a bullet-proof
car, but he says it would cost around $100,000 —
only big, heavy cars can be outfitted.
What he won't do is take any safety precaution that
seriously curbs his quality of life, and which "projects
fear" to the Palestinians — such as riding around in a
bulletproof vest. "I have six children. Should they
also ride around in bulletproof vests?" he asks.
Yet one of Annette Cohen's neighbors in Efrat travels
fully "dressed" — mom, dad and four children — in
those vests. "It's so sad to see. Some of the kids look
like they weigh less than the vests," Rubin says. ❑
Travel nwor
Solidarity gives way to caution as
diaspora Jews cancel Israel trips.
GIL SEDAN
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
T
New York
he Maccabiah Games, the quadrennial
tournament of Jewish athletes from
around the world, is poised to become
the next casualty of the eight-month-old
Palestinian uprising.
Barring any last-minute change, organizers of the
16th Maccabiah were expected to announce June
15 that the Games — slated for July — will be
postponed until next summer. If so, it would mark
the first time the Macc.abiah Games have been can-
celed since World War II.
It also would follow the recent announcement by
the U.S. Reform movement that it is canceling its
summer youth camps this year in Israel.
Both developments have drawn the ire of Israeli offi-
cials, who feel that especially now — when Israelis feel
they are under siege from Palestinian terror attacks and
international criticism — world Jewry should make
good on its frequent protestations of unity.
Yet by canceling trips, diaspora Jews are refusing
to show solidarity with Israel at this difficult time,
Israeli officials charge.
Transportation Minister Ephraim Sneh spoke
Sunday of the "disgraceful" behavior of those "who
for all these years have talked to us about the unity
of the Jewish people over mounds of bagels and lox."
In recent days, increasing numbers of athletes
said they do not want to participate in the
upcoming Maccabiah, nicknamed the "Jewish
Olympics."
Some 2,500 are still registered to participate, but
cancellations are continuing.
Last week, the U.S. delegation — the second
largest after the Israeli hosts — suggested postpon-
ing the games for a year because of the threat of
Palestinian terrorism.
Melchior Sympathetic
For late-breaking news, pleasze see
On Sunday, an Israeli deputy minister sympathized
with the calls to postpone the Games.
Rabbi Michael Melchior, Israel's deputy foreign
minister for diaspora affairs, said he had just
returned from a tour of Jewish communities in
Europe and found that most delegations there
would not attend the July 16-26 event.
That same day, Maccabiah leaders from around
the world met to decide whether to hold the games
as scheduled, but agreed to an Israeli request to
postpone the decision until June 15.
With a postponement increasingly likely, many
Israeli politicians say it would represent a slap in
Israel's face from world Jewry.
"Canceling the Maccabiah or postponing it is
vyww.detroitjewishnews.com
TRAVEL on page 26
alf
6/15
2001
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