Israeli settlers bar Palestinians from water sources in West Bank

A new UN survey released on Monday said Palestinians have increasingly lost access to water sources in the West Bank as a result of the takeover of springs by Israeli settlers who have used threats, intimidation and fences to ensure control of water points close to their settlements. The survey, carried by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) over the course of last year, stated that 30 of the springs were found to be under full settler control, with no Palestinian access to the area. In 22 of the water sources, Palestinians have been deterred from accessing the springs by acts of intimidation, threats and violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers, while in the eight springs under full settler control, Palestinian access has been prevented by physical obstacles, including the fencing of the spring area, and its "de facto annexation" to the settlement. "Despite the decline in their yield, springs have remained the single largest water source for irrigation and a significant source for watering livestock," the survey said. The survey also pointed out that the loss of access to springs and adjacent land reduced the income of affected farmers, who either stop cultivating the land or face a reduction in the productivity of their crops.