The Jordan River is an important river in the Middle East and is known as the lifeblood of the Middle East. It originates in the Levant Mountains and flows through countries such as Syria, Israel, and Jordan before eventually emptying into the Dead Sea. The Jordan River plays an important role in the Middle East as it is one of the scarce freshwater resources in the region, and it is like a spring in an oasis for this arid land.
However, the fate of the Jordan River was not satisfactory. In the Middle East, water resources have always been contested, and the Jordan River has become the focus of contention. How Israel gained control of the Jordan River is an issue of widespread concern.
In fact, long before the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the Jordan Valley was a focal point of contention between Palestinians and Jews. Since the area through which the Jordan River flows belongs to Palestinian territory, control of the Jordan River means control of water resources. After the 1948 War of Independence, Israel occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, beginning control of the Jordan River.
Then, the Six-Day War of 1967 gave Israel firm control of the Jordan River. In this war, Israel occupied the West Bank and the Golan Heights, further consolidating its control over the Jordan River. Since then, Israel has taken the lead in the Jordan River negotiations, formulating a series of policies to manage and develop the river's water resources, including the construction of dams and water diversion projects, ensuring its absolute control over the Jordan River.
In general, Israel's ability to gain control of the Jordan River was due to both historical north-south (territorial changes before the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948), military rivalry (the Six-Day War), and its dominance in negotiations and a series of policies. The combination of these factors has made the Jordan River the lifeblood of Israel, and it has also caused serious problems in the Middle East to compete for water.