Israel and Jordan to negotiate energy for water deal at UAE summit

The proposal would breathe new life into the “Prosperity” initiative launched in the wake of the 2020 US-brokered Abraham Accords. The agreement normalised ties with Israel and Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, which has increasingly positioned itself as a regional mediator.

Under the plan, Israel would build a desalination plant supplying water to both countries, while Jordan would develop a large-scale solar energy project that would export electricity to Israel.

The move comes at a particularly sensitive moment in Israeli-Jordanian relations.

Since the October 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war in Gaza, neither country has had an ambassador in place despite their three-decade-old peace agreement, reflecting one of the lowest points in diplomatic ties in years.

Yet security and strategic cooperation have quietly continued. Jordan played a key role in helping defend Israel from Iranian missile and drone attacks, with the Jordanian military intercepting projectiles that crossed its airspace and coordinating closely with regional partners.

At the same time, Israel and Jordan have maintained practical cooperation on water. A separate water-sharing arrangement between the two countries has been renewed every six months, underlining the importance of continued coordination even amid political tensions.

For Jordan, the issue is existential. The kingdom is one of the most water-scarce countries in the world, with worsening shortages driven by climate change, rapid population growth and the influx of refugees.

This story originally appeared in the JC Israel Briefing. You can sign up to receive the briefing daily here.