Israel Opens Tender for Massive Desalination Plant

Israel has launched a pre-qualification tender for one of the world's largest seawater desalination plants, to be built in the Emek Hefer Industrial Zone near Netanya. According to the tender details, the facility would produce 400 million cubic meters of water annually — roughly 40% of the country's household and industrial freshwater needs — under a 25-year public-private concession agreement. Officials note the project could eventually underpin a proposed regional deal to supply Jordan with desalinated water in exchange for renewable electricity, potentially strengthening Israel's strategic ties with Amman. The plant would further cement Israel's global leadership in water technology and reduce dependence on rainfall amid ongoing regional water scarcity concerns.