Jordan River Water Dispute and Its Connection to the Arab Israeli War of June 1967: Insights from British Archives

This study investigates the connection between the Jordan River water dispute in the 1960s and the Six-Day Arab-Israeli War of June 1967, using declassified British archival records.It focuses on Britain's response to the crisis and highlights how water shortages and governance contributed to instability in the Jordan River basin.While British interests in oil supply remain important in the region, the essay highlights Britain's neutral stance during the 1967 war, showing it was neither confrontational nor aligned with Israel or the Arab nations.This perspective contrasts with the positions of the United States and the Soviet Union, providing valuable insights into the complexities of that period.This study asserts that the unresolved water conflict among the river's bordering nations was a crucial factor in the 1967 war, despite other contributing factors identified in existing research.The Jordan River, which flows from highland areas in Arab territories, was Israel's main water source.Since the 1950s, Israel has built a dam at Tiberias Lake and diverted water through the Israeli National Water Carrier (NWC) to support its growing population, particularly in the Negev Desert.In retaliation, Arab countries launched a water diversion plan to counter Israel's efforts, which ultimately led to war.This research employs a qualitative methodology from interdisciplinary approaches such as a geo-historical discipline and international studies framework, particularly the Hydro-politics Theory in analyzing historical records declassified from the National Archives of the United Kingdom.The findings reveal that the war erupted because Arab diversion plans threatened Israel's critical water supply, underscoring Israel's dependency on the Jordan River for its expanding population and future water needs.