Water as Source of Conflict and as a Vehicle for Peace

Water accessibility in Israel and the Palestinian Territories is part of the politics in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and contributes to the feeling of mistrust and misunderstanding between Israelis and Palestinians. This article explores the implications of access to water. It proposes an architectural design for a Temple of Water as a catalyst for dialogue and understanding between Israelis and Palestinians in the water-stressed region of Hebron on the southern West Bank. It aims to create a water space for social and communal practices as a vehicle for social interaction. Opportunities for peaceful coexistence are needed in conflict areas. The Temple of Water makes a statement about water’s power, meaning and influence. The research highlights the potential of spatial planning and design to promote either conflict or peaceful coexistence. Key specifications for architectural projects in water-stressed and conflict-ridden spaces have been defined with a theoretical framework concerning the value and implications of water in Israel and Palestine. The research takes a step towards understanding the power, meaning and influence that water can have through its physical embodiment in an architectural artefact.