Paper Title
From the River to the Sea: Challenges of Cross-Border Environmental Peace building in the Levant

Abstract
For decades, issues of water and sanitation have been a source of conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. In response, one of the most renowned environmental NGOs of the region, EcoPeace Middle East (formerly Friends of the Earth Middle East) brings together Israelis, Palestinians, and Jordanians to transform the conflict over water into a tool for cross-border cooperation and inter-cultural dialogue. This paper is part of a broader study on the successes and challenges of cross-border environmental peace building between Israelis and Palestinians. The said study critically assesses the work of EcoPeace Middle East using theories of environmental conflict, cross-border cooperation, and multi-tier peace building. Qualitative data was collected during a three-months expedition to Israel and the Palestinian territories. The paper provides a synopsis of some of the research findings with a special focus on the political, physical, and social challenges of cross-border environmental cooperation in the Levant. Keywords - Israeli-Palestinian water conflict, cross-border environmental cooperation, environmental peacebuilding