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Israel fears Jordanian energy reactor may cause eco-disaster
Jerusalem expresses concern over Amman's plans to build nuclear power plant near sensitive fault line it Great Rift Valley, says earthquake in area may damage plant, lead to radioactive leak, endangering southern resort city of Eilat
Israel wants Jordan to abandon its plan to erect a nuclear power plant near Eilat, fearing building such a plant so close to the Great Rift Valley may endanger the southern resort city.
According to a Thursday report in Yedioth Ahronoth, Jerusalem wants Amman to move the planned power plant to the Aqaba cliffs.
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Israel too has been seeking the US and European Union's agreement to build such a reactor without having to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Jordan is still far from any operational plans, but head of Amman's Atomic Energy Committee declared recently that Jordan will become the first Arab country to employ such a reactor.
The Jordanian government has recently contracted a Belgian firm to perform a project risk assessment. The survey will explore the possible risks of constructing the reactor in its proposed location – nine miles from Aqaba – and will take about two years to complete.
Israel is concerned that building such a project too close to the quake-prone fault line in the Great Rift Valley could endanger Eilat, since an earthquake in the region could damage the reactor and lead to a radioactive leak.
Jerusalem would like to see the reactor moved to a more geologically stable area, such as the Aqaba cliffs, and has made several diplomatic overtures in the matter, through official channels.
One of the reasons Jordan wants to speed up its reactor project is believed to be Amman's desire to pursue the Dead Sea Canal project - a 112-mile pipeline be built between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea – independently. The Red-Dead Canal, as it has been dubbed, was meant to be a joint Israeli-Jordanian venture, but its execution has been repeatedly postponed.
Should Israel be granted permission to build a nuclear energy reactor without subjecting its nuclear facilities to international inspection, it aims to build it near Shivta, a geologically stable area in the Negev.
Itamar Eichner and Amir Ben-David contributed to this report
