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In Search of the River Jordan: A Story of Palestine, Israel and the Struggle for Water
A writer’s travels along the legendary yet contested Jordan River—exploring the long conflict over water supply
Access to water has played a pivotal role in the Israel-Palestine dispute. Israel has diverted the River Jordan via pipes and canals to build a successful modern state. But this has been at the expense of the region’s cohabitants. Gaza is now so water-stressed that the United Nations has warned it could soon become uninhabitable; its traditional water source has been ruined by years of over-extraction and mismanagement, the effects exacerbated by years of crippling blockade.
Award-winning author and journalist James Fergusson travels to every corner of Israel and Palestine telling the story of the River Jordan and the fierce competition for water. Along the way, he meets farmers, officials, soldiers, refugees, settlers, rioting youth, religious zealots, water experts, and engineers on both sides of the Green Line. Fergusson gives voice to the fears and aspirations of the region’s inhabitants and highlights the centrality of water in negotiating future peace.
Access to water has played a pivotal role in the Israel-Palestine dispute. Israel has diverted the River Jordan via pipes and canals to build a successful modern state. But this has been at the expense of the region’s cohabitants. Gaza is now so water-stressed that the United Nations has warned it could soon become uninhabitable; its traditional water source has been ruined by years of over-extraction and mismanagement, the effects exacerbated by years of crippling blockade.
Award-winning author and journalist James Fergusson travels to every corner of Israel and Palestine telling the story of the River Jordan and the fierce competition for water. Along the way, he meets farmers, officials, soldiers, refugees, settlers, rioting youth, religious zealots, water experts, and engineers on both sides of the Green Line. Fergusson gives voice to the fears and aspirations of the region’s inhabitants and highlights the centrality of water in negotiating future peace.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published April 25, 2023
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James Fergusson
368 books12 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 16, 2023
This book is a must read for anyone interested in the region, water politics and resource colonialism. It is meticulously researched yet still readable, with technical information on desalination, drip irrigation, wastewater treatment and other similar subjects lightened by personal reflections from the author. There are seeds for at least a dozen research articles and investigations in here.
One big critique is that I felt Fergusson was suffering from cognitive dissonance throughout the book. There has been a recent push for journalists to come clean about their biases, and in the introduction, Fergusson did just that. But after seeing it in practice, I can't say that I much like it. Fergusson explains that his upbringing predisposed him towards Israel, since his great, great, great uncle was Arthur Balfour. Each year, when his grandmother wrote his birthday card, she would remind him that he shared a birthday with the state of Israel. Fergusson then spends paragraphs waxing poetic about the pioneering Israeli spirit.
Still, he calls a spade a spade. The book adeptly outlines all the ways in which Israelis have profited off increased water at the expense of Palestinians. It also discusses the ways in which the Israeli state prioritizes water and uses it as a tool of control. He no doubt admires Israeli innovation, which has created a water surplus in a desert, but at times it feels like overcompensation. Why else would you feel the need to clarify that your book isn't "another liberal polemic against Zionism"? This book at times seemed another example of a journalist who is afraid to seem biased. Unfortunately, the truth, sometimes, is biased.
One big critique is that I felt Fergusson was suffering from cognitive dissonance throughout the book. There has been a recent push for journalists to come clean about their biases, and in the introduction, Fergusson did just that. But after seeing it in practice, I can't say that I much like it. Fergusson explains that his upbringing predisposed him towards Israel, since his great, great, great uncle was Arthur Balfour. Each year, when his grandmother wrote his birthday card, she would remind him that he shared a birthday with the state of Israel. Fergusson then spends paragraphs waxing poetic about the pioneering Israeli spirit.
Still, he calls a spade a spade. The book adeptly outlines all the ways in which Israelis have profited off increased water at the expense of Palestinians. It also discusses the ways in which the Israeli state prioritizes water and uses it as a tool of control. He no doubt admires Israeli innovation, which has created a water surplus in a desert, but at times it feels like overcompensation. Why else would you feel the need to clarify that your book isn't "another liberal polemic against Zionism"? This book at times seemed another example of a journalist who is afraid to seem biased. Unfortunately, the truth, sometimes, is biased.
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January 29, 2024Israel's theft of Palestine's water supply has suffocated Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza. A fiercely contested and vital resource, water supply is a major battleground that oscillates between technology and land rights. Read The New Arab's review here: https://www.newarab.com/features/sear...
August 19, 2024
What role does water access play in hegemonic, colonial systems? How is this diminishing, finite resource used by the Israeli government as a weapon to secure land, dollars, and labor? Does Israel truly want a two state solution?
This work is broken into two parts, the first examines water infrastructure in Palestine, and the second part in Israel. The first section gives deep insight into how Israel's hydrocolonialism exacerbates wealth and health inequality in Palestine, and that it is very much done purposefully. I found the second section quite lackluster, but still examines the nature of Israeli can-do will-do attitude to technology.
One thing I found frustrating is how Fergusson often poses great questions, yet fails to actually address the question. Another thing I felt was irritating was unnecessary pandering to any Pro-Israel audience, by claiming it was unfair for people to blame the state of Israel for doing ABC, right after giving an in depth explanation as why it was actually quite reasonable to do so. These reasons brought a possible five star review down to a four. Otherwise, a very enlightening read (especially of Part 1).
This work is broken into two parts, the first examines water infrastructure in Palestine, and the second part in Israel. The first section gives deep insight into how Israel's hydrocolonialism exacerbates wealth and health inequality in Palestine, and that it is very much done purposefully. I found the second section quite lackluster, but still examines the nature of Israeli can-do will-do attitude to technology.
One thing I found frustrating is how Fergusson often poses great questions, yet fails to actually address the question. Another thing I felt was irritating was unnecessary pandering to any Pro-Israel audience, by claiming it was unfair for people to blame the state of Israel for doing ABC, right after giving an in depth explanation as why it was actually quite reasonable to do so. These reasons brought a possible five star review down to a four. Otherwise, a very enlightening read (especially of Part 1).
October 20, 2025
The issues concerning Israel and Palestone are complicated. There have been wars in this part fo the world, agreements as to who can live where and disagreements about the agreements. It is also an arid land. I remember visiting the Dead Sea in 2019 and wonderign how anyone could survive in such a harsh, dry desert. james Fergusson's book In search of the River Jordon is both readable and has helped me begin to gain some understanding of the various disputes over the last 100 or so years. His thesis is that water is a major concern which affects the politics of the region. This book was published in 2023 before the events of October 2023 which resulted in the recent Hamas/palestinian and Israeli war. I would be interested to know james Fergusson's thoughts on the way forward now.
This book is a fantastic introduction to some of the issues in this region.
5 stars.
This book is a fantastic introduction to some of the issues in this region.
5 stars.
January 24, 2024
An in-depth investigation of the politics of water in Israel, as the author travels through the country (It covers all areas and not just the river of the title).Highly relevant now, and well worth a look. Presents quite a lot of technical information in an easy to grasp manner and is very readable.
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January 27, 2024Hydrocolonialism. Access to water. Desalination. Over-extraction and mismanagement of natural resources. Well-balanced with a small bias toward Israel.
December 1, 2024
Really exhaustive study of Israel and Palestine and water. So sad.
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August 10, 2025Very helpful after reading other more typical histories - water serves as a very illuminating and important thread in understanding the political and power dynamics and history of the region.
February 3, 2024
I loved this book. Anyone who wants to get a grasp of the background of the Israel-Palestine situation should read this. Fergusson's descriptive style, involving his time spent with many colourful locals from both conflicted sides, makes most enjoyable what might potentially be a dry subject. Written before 7th October 2023, in an easy-to-read, traveloguey style, it excellently illuminates the cultural landscape of the area, describes the extraordinary lengths that people go to in obtaining a water supply such as most readers take utterly for granted, and giving a disturbing insight into how the politics of water underpins all aspects of life there, as it must in many other water-limited regions of the world, and plays a huge part in perpetuating the antipathy between Israeli and Palestinian. It emphasises how access to water is a key human right and shows how those with influence over another's supply of water hold a weapon, and have an undeniable duty to care towards them.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews