Al Wazzani (Al-Ouazzani[1]), also known as Arab Louaize or Aarab El Louaizeh,[2] is a small Lebanese village in the Hasbaya District of the Nabatieh Governorate, on the banks of the Hasbani River. The village is located about 1 km from the Wazzani Spring, a major source of the Hasbani, which is a tributary of the Jordan River.[3] The village has about 200 residents.[2]

In 2001 the Lebanese government installed a small pumping station with a 10 cm bore near the village, to supply water to the village as well the nearby villages al-Teiba[4] and Ghajar.[5] In March 2002 Lebanon also diverted part of the Hasbani to supply Wazzani village, an action that then Prime Minister of Israel, Ariel Sharon, said was a "casus belli" and could lead to war.[6][7][8][9] The pumping station was destroyed during the 2006 Lebanon War.

References

  1. ^ "Ouazzani near hasbaya nabatieh lebanon".
  2. ^ a b Water Wars in the Middle East: A Looming Threat, Hussein A. Amery, The Geographical Journal, Vol. 168, 2002
  3. ^ Wazzani Springs pump nearing completion
  4. ^ Hariri complains against Israeli threats: Lebanon seeks to complete al- Wazzani project
  5. ^ LA Times Over Israeli Objections, Lebanon Opens Pumping Station on River 29 March 2001
  6. ^ BBC News 28 March 2002. Lebanon hails 'liberation of water'
  7. ^ BBC 10 September 2002 Israel warns of war over water
  8. ^ BBC 16 September 2002. US wades into Mid-East water dispute
  9. ^ BBC 17 September 2002. Israel hardens stance on water.

33°16′38″N 35°37′19″E / 33.27722°N 35.62194°E / 33.27722; 35.62194

Categories