Systematic Sabotage of Water Infrastructure
Palestinians across the Israeli-occupied West Bank are facing catastrophic water shortages exacerbated by escalating settler attacks on vital water sources. In Ramallah, residents like Umm Ziad now rely on public taps as home water access dwindles to twice weekly, forcing families to queue for hours amid scorching summer heat. The United Nations documented 62 incidents of settler vandalism targeting wells, pipelines, and irrigation networks in early 2025 alone, with the Ein Samiya spring, a lifeline for 20 villages repeatedly sabotaged. Settlers have physically taken over this historic spring, destroying surveillance cameras and cutting water access for hours while Israeli forces fail to intervene.
Annexation Agenda and Forced Displacement
Rights groups assert these attacks are part of a coordinated campaign to depopulate Palestinian land for settlement expansion. B’Tselem researcher Kareem Jubran confirms settlers now control most natural springs, leveraging water scarcity to pressure communities like Susiya and Kfar Malik into abandonment. With 925 settler violence incidents recorded by the UN in seven months, a 16% annual increase, Palestinians report intensified intimidation since October 2023. This aligns with Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s public calls for annexation, exploiting global focus on Gaza to consolidate control.
Discriminatory Water Policies
Israel’s military administration (COGAT) blames “Palestinian water theft” for shortages, despite data showing settlers consume 300 liters daily per capita compared to Palestinians’ 86 liters, a figure plummeting to 45 liters in crisis zones like Dura. Infrastructure projects face systemic obstruction: Israel denies well-digging permits in Area C (60% of the West Bank), demolishes rainwater harvesting systems, and restricts pipeline development. The Palestinian Water Authority notes Israel controls 84% of West Bank water, diverting 52% to Israeli cities and 32% to settlements while Palestinians receive barely 16%.
Humanitarian Catastrophe and International Failure
Over 70,000 Palestinians risk total water cutoff as attacks persist. Communities like Umm al Kheir rely on costly trucked water after settlers bulldozed their pipelines, while Jenin’s wastewater projects stall due to defunded USAID programs. The UN reports 2,895 Palestinians displaced since 2023 by settler violence, with children suffering trauma from militarized raids and contaminated water. Despite the International Court of Justice ruling Israel’s occupation illegal, Western nations remain inactive as annexation accelerates.