Israeli settler attacks cut water supply to 19 Palestinian communities in West Bank

Israeli settler attacks on a water well on Sunday stopped water pumping to 19 Palestinian communities east of Ramallah, in the central West Bank, worsening an already severe supply crisis and prompting urgent calls for intervention and repairs.

The Jerusalem District Water Department, which provides water services to Ramallah and al-Bireh, said water pumping from the Ein Samia wells had been temporarily halted after Israeli settlers attacked its technical teams and prevented them from reaching the site to fix damage to well number six.

The authority said the attack led to a complete shutdown of pumping, cutting off water to more than 19 residential communities.

It called for urgent intervention to allow its crews to carry out repairs and resume water supply.

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The water department also urged relevant authorities and international organisations to stop the attacks targeting vital infrastructure, warning that they threaten the water security of thousands of people.

The Ein Samia wells are located on land belonging to the town of Kafr Malik, north-east of Ramallah, on the eastern slopes of the West Bank. The area has faced repeated settler attacks since before 8 October 2023.

Following the outbreak of Israel’s war on Gaza, settlers took control of the area and forced Palestinian farmers out, further disrupting the work of the water authority.

Ein Samia includes six wells that have supplied most towns east of Ramallah with drinking water since the 1960s.

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