Palestinians, Israel compromise on Dead Sea contest

By Douglas Hamilton and Ali Sawafta

JERUSALEM/RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Israel and the Palestinian Authority compromised in the name of nature this week, teaming up at the last moment to back the Dead Sea in a contest to chose the world's top seven natural wonders.

Just days before the contest rules would have forced the Dead Sea's elimination, Israel's ministry of tourism took over as official sponsor from the Megilot Dead Sea Council, removing a big political obstacle blocking Palestinian participation.

The famously buoyant Dead Sea, the world's most saline lake, lies at the bottom of the Jordan Rift Valley at the lowest spot on earth, some 400 meters below sea level.

The Palestinians had refused to form a sponsorship committee because Israel's Megilot municipality covers occupied West Bank land, including Jewish settlements near the Dead Sea which it considers illegal.

This made it impossible to meet the rules of the New Seven Wonders of Nature Internet vote, which stipulate that a nominee "located in more than one country" must be backed by all.

For the Dead Sea, Israel, Jordan and Palestinian sponsorship committees were a pre-requisite for continuing in the contest. A red light has flashed for months on its entry on the New7Wonders website, warning the nomination was not complete.

But on Thursday, Ahmad Salami of the Palestinian foreign ministry told Reuters President Mahmoud Abbas had given instructions to back the Dead Sea in the competition.

Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki also instructed Palestinian diplomatic missions abroad "to promote this historic and human milestone and to issue booklets to educate people about the Dead Sea" and the need to preserve it.