The project is already under way

The more conciliatory tones contrast with the country's initial fury at the plans for the water pumping station, with Israel sending a sharp message to Lebanon and Syria through the United Nations that the project violated international conventions.

The head of Israel's water company Mekorot, Uri Saguy, had warned Lebanon against changing the distribution of water in the region:

"There is no water in the Middle East, therefore, understandings must be reached. If not, it can turn into a war or a forceful confrontation," he said.

The region is suffering its third straight year of below-average rainfall. Water in the freshwater Sea of Galilee, from which the country draws 40% of its drinking water, has receded to one of the lowest levels in years.

On Tuesday, Mekorot said it might soon have to stop drawing water from the lake, and that it planned to increase the price of drinking water.

Israeli defence spokesman Shlomo Dror, who had said Israel would not sit quietly by while Lebanon tapped into Israel's water supply, now says he expectes Lebanon to understand how important the issue is for Israel.

"If the idea is to take some water to the village there shouldn't be a problem, but if the idea is to stop water coming into Israel, this is against international law.

"There is a difference between what the Lebanese say now and what they do in the future, and we are waiting to see."

'Baffled'

UN officials said work on the pumping station on the banks of the Hasabani River began in February, but it is not yet operational.

"The workers are building a four-inch (10cm) pipe to carry water from the Wazzani river to a poor village lacking water. You don't divert a river with a pipe so small," Timour Goksel, a spokesman for the UN Interim Forces in Lebanon (Unifil) said.

He said Israel was told of the work when it started and said he was "baffled" why such strong objections had been raised now.

The Hasabani contributes 25% of the water of the Jordan River, one of Israel's prime water sources.

In Lebanon, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri confirmed that work was under way to pump water at the confluence of the Hasabani and Wazzani rivers, and accused Israel of stealing water from Lebanon.