Ancient and Modern Developments of Water Resources in the Holy Land and the Israeli-Arab Conflict: A Reply

Abstract

Rowley's critique (1986) of the article by Ron (1985) has failed to deal with relevant facts. Contrary to Rowley's statement, spring flow tunnels in the Holy Land are not identical to qanats, Kharezin of aflaj, and are not a recent Arab development. They are ancient, their development having commenced in the ninth and eighth centuries B.C. During this period geo-hydrological and hydro-technical breakthroughs in the development of water supply and water resources were achieved in the Holy Land as a result of security and defence needs, in order that besieged cities might be supplied with water. The geo-hydrological knowledge accumulated empirically, resulted in (1) the renewing of springs which dried up or were depleted, and (2) the artificial creation of springs to serve urban, and later agricultural needs. These developments commencing during the Iron Age (the First Jewish Commonwealth period), reached another peak in the Hellenistic and Roman Periods (the Second Jewish Commonwealth) and the Byzantine period. Due to their stable structure hundreds of these ancient spring flow tunnels remain well preserved, and are found mainly in the Judean and Samarian Hills, but also in the hills of the Galilee and the Carmel. Since 1967, the new Israeli settlements on the West Bank and particularly in the Jordan Valley have provided for the modern development of deep ground water sources. Contrary to Rowley's belief, the drawing of these waters, never previously utilized by Arab farmers, neither depleted nor dried up springs or wells used for irrigation. In any case, these waters were previously lost to salinization on their subterranean flow to the Dead Sea.