Water war in occupied West Bank: Israeli settlers corner Palestinians

Israeli settlers have seized control of a critical water source in the occupied West Bank, diverting irrigation water from Palestinian farmland to transform an ancient pool into a recreational area, according to local residents and media reports. The incident took place near the village of Fasayil in the Jordan Valley, where the water source had long been a vital resource for the community's agriculture, employment, and daily life. In June, settlers reportedly took over an irrigation system connected to the natural spring, redirecting the flow to an archaeological site where an old pool was located. This action left the surrounding Palestinian lands without access to essential water, disrupting farming activities and threatening the livelihoods of local residents. Saad Nemer, a farmer whose land includes the spring and the pool, described how the diversion has rendered his fields barren. “Our water supply remains cut off to this day, depriving us of the water we depend on for our homes, our livelihoods, and our agricultural land,” he said. Without irrigation, his greenhouses and fields, normally filled with eggplants, zucchinis, and watermelons, are now dry and unproductive. The seizure of the water source appears to be part of a broader strategy by Israeli settlers to undermine Palestinian life in the region. According to United Nations data, settlers have attacked at least 160 water and sanitation sites across the Palestinian territory this year. These actions, often accompanied by physical intimidation and threats, have made it increasingly difficult for Palestinians to sustain their communities. Nemer recounted how an employee had been physically assaulted by settlers, and he himself had received threats for trying to access the spring as early as two years ago. The transformation of the spring into a recreational space has further exacerbated tensions. Settlers have promoted the site as a tourist destination, drawing crowds to the area. Yishai Shreiber, a 21-year-old settler who visited the pool during an August afternoon, claimed that the presence of Jewish visitors has deterred Palestinians from approaching the site. “Now that they see this entire mass of people, all these large groups of Jews coming here to bathe, they are afraid to come here,” he stated. Shreiber added that the West Bank belongs to the Jewish people and that if Palestinians refuse to accept Jewish authority, they should leave. Local residents have presented documentation suggesting that the land in question was historically owned by Palestinians. Nemer showed a 2025 land ownership document issued by COGAT, the Israeli military agency responsible for implementing civilian policies in the occupied territories. He also displayed a map from 1957, before the occupation, indicating that his property included both the spring and the pool. Neither COGAT nor Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who had previously pledged financial support for the project, responded to requests for comment. The conflict over water resources reflects the larger struggle over land and sovereignty in the occupied West Bank. Israel’s far-right coalition government has accelerated settlement expansion, a move that Finance Minister Smotrich has framed as an effort to eliminate the possibility of a future Palestinian state. More than 150 of the 193 United Nations member states recognize the right of Palestine to self-determination, encompassing the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. However, the international community largely views the settlements as illegal under international law governing military occupations. According to Palestinian field researcher Fares Foqahaa, the number of settler attacks on water sources has surged, with estimates suggesting that settlers have taken control of approximately 95 percent of the springs in the northern Jordan Valley. This escalation threatens not only individual livelihoods but also the broader viability of Palestinian communities in the region. As the situation continues to unfold, the dispute over water remains a central issue in the ongoing conflict over land and resources in the occupied West Bank.