, ▁the ▁Tig ris ▁and ▁Eu phr ates , ▁crossing ▁through ▁three ▁major ▁Middle ▁Eastern ▁nations . ▁This ▁means ▁that ▁the ▁nations , ▁cities ▁and ▁towns ▁down stream ▁from ▁the ▁next ▁are ▁h ug ely ▁effect ed ▁by ▁the ▁actions ▁and ▁dec isions ▁of ▁other ▁groups ▁they ▁have ▁little ▁practical ▁control ▁over . ▁In ▁particular ▁this ▁is ▁evident ▁with ▁the ▁cutting ▁of ▁water ▁supply ▁from ▁one ▁nation ▁to ▁the ▁next , ▁just ▁as ▁issues ▁of ▁air ▁poll ution ▁affect ▁the ▁states ▁surrounding ▁that ▁which ▁is ▁producing ▁the ▁poll ution ▁initially . ▁It ▁is ▁believed ▁that ▁up ▁to ▁▁ 5 0 % ▁of ▁water ▁required ▁for ▁any ▁specific ▁state ▁within ▁the ▁Middle ▁East ▁finds ▁its ▁source ▁in ▁another ▁state . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁BBC , ▁the ▁list ▁of ▁' water - scar ce ' ▁countries ▁in ▁the ▁region ▁grew ▁from ▁three ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁to ▁eight ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁with ▁another ▁seven ▁expected ▁to ▁be ▁added ▁within ▁ 2 0 ▁years , ▁including ▁three ▁N ile ▁nations ▁( the ▁N ile ▁is ▁shared ▁by ▁nine ▁countries ). ▁According ▁to ▁former ▁Egypt ian ▁President ▁H os ni ▁M ub ar ak , ▁the ▁only ▁conce iv able ▁flash point ▁Egypt ▁may ▁encounter ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 1 st ▁century ▁is ▁the ▁control ▁of ▁fresh ▁water ▁resources . ▁With ▁substantial , ▁but ▁falling ▁rates ▁of ▁fert ility , ▁the ▁issue ▁of ▁water ▁distribution ▁in ▁the ▁Middle ▁East ▁will ▁not ▁be ▁easily ▁dismiss ed . ▁ ▁A ▁recent ▁report ▁"