Wednesday, September 18, 2002

Jpost: Lebanon scorns US mediation efforts over Wazzani
BBC: Israel hardens stance on water

BBC says that 10 million cubic meters a year will be pumped; Jpost quotes an Israeli official who says it's 50 million cu. m.

Jpost also quotes experts as saying that the Litani River could easily supply all of south Lebanon - and its waters are now simply flowing into the ocean; the diversion of the Wazzani is to create a provocation. Jpost quotes the same Israeli official to the effect international law dictates that agreements between countries have to be reached over water use when upper levels flow into lower ones.

Jpost says:

US officials visited the site on Monday, and an expert on international water law is due to inspect the area today and then shuttle between Beirut and Jerusalem to try and resolve the issue. The Lebanese stance [that the UN rather than the US must mediate] has basically torpedoed the efforts before they begin.

BBC's "harder line" is pure bias, since there has been no change at all in Israel's stance.

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