Palestinian, Arab and Bedouin villages, and the largest seawater desalination plant in Israel were visited.
The Schusterman Center for Israel Studies of the Brandies University hosted faculty members and scholars for Israel Study Tour including visits to the largest seawater desalination plant in Israel, and to the villages dwelled by Palestinians, Arabs and Bedouins with Israeli citizenship. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Umut KOLDAŞ, the Near East Institute Director of the Near East University, participated in the visits that organized by the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies. With an interdisciplinary approach, the participants were provided with information on issues that have importance for Israel's domestic and foreign policy, and they had opportunities to exchange ideas regarding the latest developments on the issue.
According to the press statement delivered by the Directorate of Press and Public Relations Office of the Near East University, during the visit to the Sorek seawater desalination plant, a briefing was held to inform the participants about the seawater desalination projects actualized by Israel so far, and the role of these projects in meeting the municipal water demand in Israel. It was stated that Sorek is the world's largest and most advanced SWRO desalination plant with a seawater treatment capacity of 624,000m³/day, and it provides clean, potable water for over 1.5 million people, comprising 20% of the municipal water demand in Israel. During the visits to Palestinian, Arab and Bedouin villages, participants were informed about the current situation of these villages and the plans and projects regarding the future of these places.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Umut KOLDAŞ: "We have realized fruitful visits in terms of the scientific studies we carry out on Israel-Palestine issue".
Near East Institute Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Umut KOLDAŞ delivered information regarding the issue. “The Israel Study Tour was held within the scope of the Summer Institute for Israel Studies that organized by the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies. Many scientists and scholars from all around the world participated in the visits that realized within the concept of the Israel Study Tour. I consider these visits worthwhile in terms of providing the participants with opportunity to refresh their knowledge on the key issues that determine Israel's domestic and external agenda, and to provide their scientific studies with background information based on data. As NEU Near East Institute, we have participated in visits that we consider fruitful in terms of providing us with the latest information and data that will be very useful for Israel-Palestine studies carried out within the body of the Near East Institute. The information obtained on-site visits will be useful in terms of improving our Israel foreign policy curriculum with the latest data. Thus, the curriculum equipped with the latest information based on the primary resources will be very beneficial for the graduates receiving a course on Israeli foreign policy at our institute to accommodate their demands in pursuit their careers. Such visits, which are very important for the scientific studies that supported by data based on on-site work, can be very helpful in terms of analyzing and assessing the points that might be overlooked especially in secondary-source based studies on domestic, regional and international relations” said he.