Gore urges action over water shortage

Tel Aviv: Former US vice-president turned environmentalist Al Gore says the Middle East's water shortage is a major part of the global climate crisis.

Gore praised Israel for irrigating its desert landscape. But he warned against decreasing water levels in the region's lakes and rivers and called for action. Gore made the comments at a high-tech conference in Tel Aviv on Tuesday.

Water levels in both the Dead Sea and Jordan River are dropping quickly. Environmental groups say the nation's water-hungry agriculture industry puts too much strain on its limited natural resources.