Recognising water as a central relational location of the asymmetric Israel-udPalestinian conflict, this study critically analyses the peacebuilding significanceudof Israeli, transboundary water and peace practitioner discourses. Anchored inuda theoretically-constructed framework of hydropolitical peacebuilding, ituddiscursively analyses the historical, officially-sanctioned, as well as academicudand civil society water and peace relations of Israelis and Palestinians. Itudresponds to the question: How are Israeli water and peace practitionersuddiscursively practicing hydropolitical peacebuilding in the Middle East? In doingudso, this study has drawn upon a methodology of interpretive practice, combiningudethnography, foucauldian discourse analysis and narrative inquiry.udThis study discursively traces Israel¿s development into a hydrohegemonic stateudin the Jordan River Basin, from the late-19th century to 2011. Recognisingudconflict as a power-laden social system, it makes visible the construction,udproduction and circulation of Israel¿s power in the basin. It examines keyudnarrative elements invoked by Israel to justify its evolving asymmetric,udhydrohegemonic relations. Leveraging the hydropolitical peacebuildingudframework, itself constituted of equality, partnership, equity and sharedudiiudsustainability, this study also examines the discursive practices of Israeliudtransboundary water and peace practitioners in relationship with Palestinians.udIn so doing, it makes visible their hydrohegemony, hydropolitical peacebuilding,udand hydrohegemonic residues.udThis study¿s conclusions re-affirm earlier findings, notably that environmentaludand hydropolitical cooperation neither inherently nor necessarily constituteudpeacebuilding practice. This work also suggests that hydropoliticaludpeacebuilding may discursively be recognised in water and peace practices thatudengage, critique, resist, desist from, and practice alternative relationaludformations to hydrohegemony in asymmetric conflicts.
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