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作者：潔西卡•麥卡琳
以色列不願意重新分配水資源有許多不同的原因，最明顯的的就是，這麼做會改變以色列人的生活型態：不再有私人的游泳池和翠綠的草地。羅賓•特懷（Robin Twite），是位於耶路撒冷的公共政策智庫「以色列/巴勒斯坦研究與資訊中心」環境部門的主任，他指出其實這還有更深一層的動機，他稱此為以色列人對於「發展的迷思」。
特懷說：「自從以色列人一百多年前在這塊土地上居住以來，他們從來沒有停止過建築、開發與增建房舍與基礎建設。集體農場、農業殖民地和農場一直獲得以色列人的關注。對以色列人而言，為「發展而努力」的傾向自有其特殊的象徵意義，擅自壓抑這樣的社會傾向，在政治上可能很危險。」
以色列的灌溉系統
亨利•郭爾德（Henry Gold）是以色列交通委員會的工程師兼主席，他指出目前遇到缺水危機時，以色列民眾最普遍的反應是「科技將會解決問題」。他說：「政府不久前才決定，要開始興建一座世界上最大的海水淡化廠，而在接下來的10年中，還要興建20座海水淡化廠。但這不負責任的作法，因為海水淡化只能解決部分的問題，去降低水的消耗及鼓勵有效的運用水資源才是最重要的。」
郭爾德說應該將重點轉為政治上的行動與考量，使得節約水資源成為一種經濟誘因。他說：「目前以色列是由自治區機構賣水一般民眾；這些機構先向中央的公司買水，然後在賣出時將價格調漲三到四倍。在這種情況下，自治區機構當然不會想要節約用水，而中央政府對此卻不做任何改變。」
以色列另外一個環保團體「以色列環境防衛聯盟」，已經採取法律行動，希望政治上對於水資源能有所行動。該團體擔心國家的用水危機會更趨複雜，因為草率處理的都市下水道廢水、軍事與工業廢棄物，會污染河水與地下水。
2000年5月，以色列環境防衛聯盟向最高法院呈請，他們希望成立一項專用於清除首都特拉維夫的一處污染水源的基金。該地點之前曾經被檢查出含有三氯乙烯、有機鎔劑、重金屬和其他有害的工業排放物，而使得該地區的飲用水井被迫關閉。
以色列環境防衛聯盟的請訴成功了，但是就目前的情況而言這還是杯水車薪。以色列從政者在規劃建設時未能適當地處理用水危機，這樣只能得到暫時的安定，但卻會危及以色列長久的社會穩定。
【文章連載】
■血與水I 血與水II
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全文與圖片詳見： http://www.gristmagazine.com/grist/main
dish/mccallin030502.asp
版權歸屬 Earth Day Network，環境資訊協會(龐中培 譯，李欣哲 審校)
中英對照全文：http://e-info.org.tw/issue/water/2002/
wa02042201.htm
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by Jessica McCallin，05 Mar 2002
A variety of explanations have been offered as to why Israel is reluctant to redistribute water resources. The most obvious reason is that doing so would require a change in Israeli lifestyles: no more private swimming pools and green lawns. But the motives go deeper than that, according to Robin Twite, director of the Environment Program for the Jerusalem-based
Israeli/Palestine Center for Research and
Information, a public-policy think-tank. Twite says Israelis have what he calls a "mythical belief in development."
"Since first settling the land over 100 years ago, Israelis have never stopped building, developing, and expanding their homes and infrastructure. And the kibbutz, agricultural settlements, and farms hold a special place in Israeli affections. The strive to develop has a momentum of its own and tampering with it could be politically dangerous," Twite says.
An irrigation system in Israel.
Henry Gold, an engineer and chair of Israel's Committee for Public Transport, says that when it comes to the water crisis, the prevailing attitude is that technology will save the day. "The government has just decided to start building what will be the world's largest water desalination plant," Gold said. "And over the next 10 years, 20 more desalination plants are being established. But this is irresponsible, as desalination can only be part of the solution. Reducing consumption and encouraging responsible use remains critical."
Gold said the emphasis needs to shift toward political action and measures to make water conservation economically enticing. "In Israel at the moment, the local municipality sells water. It buys the water from the central company and sells it on at a 300- to 400-percent mark-up. Under this system, the municipality has no interest whatsoever in conserving water use. But the central government is doing nothing to change it."
Another Israeli environmental group, the Israel Union for Environmental Defence, has gone to the courts to try to jump-start political action around water issues. The group is concerned that the nation's water crisis is being compounded as rivers and groundwater resources are contaminated by poorly treated municipal sewage as well as military and industrial waste.
In May 2000, the IUED petitioned the Supreme Court for funds to decontaminate a water source in Tel Aviv. Testing at the site revealed the presence of trichloroethylene, hydrocarbon solvents, heavy metals, and other hazardous industrial effluents, which led to the closure of drinking water wells in the area.
IUED's petition was successful, but still amounts to little more than closing the barn door after the horses are gone. By not adequately addressing the water crisis when making building and planning decisions, Israeli politicians are achieving short-term survival by risking the long-term stability of the Israeli state.
http://www.gristmagazine.com/grist/main
dish/mccallin030502.asp
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