Water Scarcity in the Eastern Mediterranean and Its Implications for the Security of Israel

The Middle East has long been associated with conflicts and insecurity. The region suffers from various ideological, sectarian, and identity conflicts; regardless, in this fragile scenery, some crucial problems lead to conflicts beyond the variables mentioned above. For example, water scarcity significantly contributes to the instability in the region. This thesis aims to explore the problem of water scarcity in the Levant and how it impacts the security of Israel. The thesis investigates water scarcity as a national security problem and the hydro politics of Israel by embracing a historical approach. In addition, Copenhagen School's Securitisation Theory helps to explain the ‘us vs. them’ mentality that dominates the Israeli security approach and facilitates zero-sum security practices. The transboundary water resources cannot be hegemonized; thus, the way Israel securitised the water scarcity problem is related to the pre-existing security threats, which are integrated into the Arab-Israeli, and in particular, the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts. It is found that Israel is a pivotal actor in water management technologies, yet due to the zero-sum practices make it extremely difficult for cooperative dynamics to function properly in the Levant; and thus, regenerates an environment of insecurity for Israel. Moreover, understanding the dispute over water from the Israeli security perspective could elucidate the deeper analysis of regional security and regional cooperation, which could provide insights into the patterns and trends for the future as well.