West Bank14 August, 20262 min read
Israeli Settlers Divert Fasayil Spring Water, Cutting Off Palestinian Families in Jordan Valley
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Israeli settlers diverted water from a Fasayil spring powering Palestinian crops. They blocked access and cut water and electricity, trapping about 15 residents.
Water diverted at Fasayil
Israeli settlers diverted water from a spring near the village of Fasayil in the Jordan Valley, creating a pool at an archaeological site and cutting off Palestinians’ supply, according to Saad Nemer’s account of his irrigation pipeline being seized in June. Nemer said, “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,” as he described eggplant, zucchini and watermelons left unplanted without water.
“The West Bank belonged to the Jewish people, and that if Palestinians don't want to accept Jewish authority, they should leave.”
The dispute is tied to settlement expansion, with United Nations data cited by Reuters saying Israeli settlers have attacked at least 160 water and sanitation sites across the Palestinian territory this year. In the same Fasayil episode, Israeli settler Yishai Shreiber, 21, said, “The West Bank belonged to the Jewish people,” and argued that Palestinians who did not accept Jewish authority should leave.
Qusra siege and US pressure
In Qusra, north of Nablus, Israeli settlers besieged three Palestinian homes after cutting water and electricity, and the UN Office said the families were trapped without access to water or electricity while Israeli forces were present. The UN said, “Time is running out for these three families before they are forcibly displaced,” and described the situation as a “state of terror” for about 15 people including at least two children.
The siege drew a rebuke from Washington, where the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, called the settlers’ actions “disgusting” and said there was “no excuse for such thuggish behaviour,” according to Dawn. Dawn also reported that France called on Israel to arrest and prosecute rogue settlers blockading Palestinian homes in Qusra, urging protection of the civilian population.
Archaeology, parks, and stakes
At Fasayil, settlers promoted the water-filled pool as a tourist attraction and Nemer said settlers were working to develop a recreational park around the site, while Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich pledged 3 million shekels for restoration and development. The dispute also includes competing claims about the site’s origins, with Israeli archaeologist Alon Arad of Emek Shaveh saying, “We see in many cases the use of archaeology ... to create this feeling that the West Bank is exclusively Jewish,” and arguing the filling of the archaeological site was causing damage.
In Qusra, the stakes extend beyond water access as the UN Office warned that the actions aim to force families to leave their homes and lands, while the Office urged Israel to prevent settler attacks and ensure accountability. Meanwhile, Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz called on Friday for police to replace the military in handling settlers, instructing the military to prepare a plan to transfer enforcement powers regarding civil matters among Israeli communities in the West Bank to the Israel Police.