They Spilled Billions of Tons of Water into the Desert, a Year Later the Result Was Unexpected

**The Ben Gurion Canal Project: Ambition and Potential to Change the Global Landscape**

The Ben Gurion Canal Project is a bold Israeli plan to build a giant waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, across the Negev desert. The project not only aims to create a new shipping route but also challenges Egypt’s long-standing monopoly on the Suez Canal – a vital trade route between Europe and Asia. If implemented, the Ben Gurion Canal could profoundly change global trade routes and reshape the world economy.

The importance of the Suez Canal was clearly demonstrated by the “Ever Given” incident in 2021. This giant ship ran aground in the canal, causing a 6-day global maritime traffic jam, paralyzing 12% of world trade. This highlights the urgent need for an alternative waterway, especially since Israel has been repeatedly blocked from using the Suez Canal for political reasons since 1948.

The Ben Gurion Canal, if built, would be about 120 miles (nearly 200 km) long, far exceeding the 102 miles (164 km) of the Suez Canal. The proposed design would include two separate channels, allowing ships to travel in both directions simultaneously, and would be capable of accommodating the world’s largest ships, up to 300 meters (984 feet) long.

In addition, the stone walls of the canal would require less maintenance than the sand banks of the Suez Canal. The project is also expected to generate up to $10 billion in annual revenue, providing a major boost to the Israeli economy.

However, the biggest challenge is the huge construction cost, estimated at $100 billion. Unconventional construction solutions were considered, including the use of nuclear explosions in the 1960s, but were rejected due to the risk of environmental pollution. Modern technology, if applied, could reduce construction time to 5-10 years, compared to the 10 years it took to complete the Suez Canal in the 19th century.

Although Israel has yet to officially begin the project, the idea has attracted the attention of many stakeholders. For shipping companies, the Ben Gurion Canal would not only reduce shipping costs but also break Egypt’s monopoly on tolls for the use of the Suez Canal, which is a major source of revenue for the country’s economy (nearly $9.4 billion by 2023).

The project also echoes other bold plans in the region, such as the Red Sea to Dead Sea project, which aims to replenish freshwater and save the Dead Sea from drying up. However, political tensions and high costs have caused the project to stall in 2021.

The Ben Gurion Canal is not only a great engineering feat but also a symbol of Israel’s ambition and ability to change the global economic and political landscape. Despite many challenges, if successful, the project will be a clear demonstration of the power of human creativity and will to overcome the limits of nature.