I AM PLEASED to announce that the Governments of the United States and Israel have agreed to a second step toward the solution of Israel's critical water needs.
The first step was taken last June when Prime Minister Eshkol and I established a joint United States-Israeli study team to conduct technical surveys. These have already been completed.
Now we have agreed that our governments will share equally in the cost of a detailed engineering study for a large water desalting project to meet Israel's pressing demands for more fresh water.
Both governments will promptly issue invitations to American engineering consulting firms to participate in the second step. A joint board, with each government equally represented, will assist in making the selection, and will oversee the effort.
Note: For the establishment of the U.S.-Israeli Joint Team of experts see Item 380. See also Item 480. On October 26 the White House released a statement briefly summarizing the joint team's report.
Lyndon B. Johnson, Statement by the President Announcing a Joint U.S.-Israeli Water Desalting Study. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/242241