MIDEAST POLLUTION ROW
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EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS STORY REPLACES STORY 3211-MIDEAST-POLLUTION ROW. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS THE CORRECTED VERSION.It s considered one of the world s holiest sites.Christians flock to the River Jordan each year, to immerse themselves in the water where Jesus is said to have been baptized.But environmentalists claim the biblical river is polluted with high levels of coliform bacteria -- caused by raw sewage flowing into waters depleted for drinking and agricultural use.Gidon Bromberg, from Friends of the Earth Middle East says pilgrims are risking rashes, stomach upsets, or even polio.SOUNDBITE: Gidon Bromberg, Israeli director of Friends of the Earth Middle East , saying (English) These waters are not healthy, they re not holy anymore, and these are polluted waters, for most of the year these waters are four times more polluted than the Israeli standards would permit. Israel refutes the claims.Officials from the Nature and Parks Authority say they ve carried out their own tests, which show bacteria levels are well within safe limits.SOUNDBITE: Eli Dror, head of environmental monitoring unit, Israel Nature and Parks Authority, saying (English) Absolutely no problem with the quality of the water, people can come and baptize here as much as they want, no problem. I can guarantee it according to the lab numbers that we have in front of us. The holy site is a major tourism drawcard, with thousands of visitors each year.SOUNDBITE: Raphael Ben-Hur, senior Tourism Ministry official, saying (English) This area is a very important area for us in the ministry of tourism, this site is one of the most important, most holy site of the Christian people and they come from all over the world, so we invested a lot of money to prepare it and to suit it to the people to come. Israel s Ministry of Tourism says it hopes to encourage more visitors by building a new reception center and six additional chapels.Gemma Haines, Reuters.