In a Middle East marked by tensions, Danni Reches, International Advocacy Officer at EcoPeace Middle East, advocates a strong belief: environmental cooperation can become a strategic leverage for regional stability. The NGO, present in Tel Aviv, Ramallah, and Amman, works on building peace based on concrete solutions around water and energy.
“The Middle East is the driest region in the world. In Jordan, water sometimes flows only one day out of ten,” she points out. The water crisis goes beyond the mere question of access to drinking water: it affects agriculture, hygiene, food security, and ultimately national security.
Among the flagship projects is the “water for energy” agreement signed in 2022 between Israel and Jordan. Israel, a global leader in desalination, provides drinkable water produced from the sea. In return, Jordan, rich in desert spaces suitable for renewable energies, develops solar and wind installations to supply Israel with green electricity. A win-win exchange in a region where energy demand is soaring, especially with the development of data centers.
But EcoPeace aims to go further. Danni Reches hopes that once the war is over, Gaza can be integrated into this model through the construction of desalination facilities, with security guarantees. The goal: to create a tripartite framework involving Israel, Jordan, and Palestine, and promote a return to dialogue around common interests.
“Working on peace from a shelter during a war may seem surreal,” she admits. “But it is precisely in these moments that regional integration becomes essential.”
Beyond water, EcoPeace advocates for a broader vision including Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and European partners. For the NGO, energy and water transition could become the foundation of a new regional paradigm: transforming scarcity into cooperation, and the environment into a driver of diplomatic innovation.
