Energy Minister Zeki Cakan and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon reached a deal Monday for Israel to buy up to one billion cubic tonnes of fresh water from Turkey over a period of 20 years. Under the agreement, first tentatively reached in October 2002 after more than 5 years of negotiations, Israel is to buy 50 million cubic metres of water from the Manavgat purification plant near the Mediterranean city of Antalya. Two members of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s cabinet, Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Meir Sheetrit, voted against the deal, citing the high cost when compared to Israel supplying its needs through desalination. The Turkish water will be transported to the Israeli port of Ashkelon via tankers, each capable of carrying 200-250 tonnes. According to the deal, Turkey in return will buy an unspecified number of Israeli tanks as well as air force technology.
