Water crisis

Water crisis

Throughout the summer months, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank suffer a severe shortage of water for personal consumption, bathing, cleaning, livestock and irrigation. The severe shortage violates basic human rights, including the right to health, decent housing, equality, and the benefit of natural resources. All this is the result of the Israeli policy, in place since 1967, which is based on unfair allocation of water resources in the West Bank.

Background: Water crisis

Featured update

13 Nov 2016

Military Resumes Maneuvers in Residential Areas and Grazing Land of Palestinian Communities: Two Communities Displaced and Another Ravaged

Target-practice image placed by soldiers in residential area of an al-Fajam area community, near ‘Aqraba. Photo by ‘Aref Daraghmeh, B’Tselem, 17 Oct. 2016

In recent weeks, the military has held several maneuvers in residential areas or grazing land belonging to Palestinian communities. Israel claims that the areas are “firing zones,” despite the fact that these communities have lived and worked on the land for many years. The repeated displacement threatens the ability of residents to continue living in the communities. As an occupying power, Israel may not use land for general military purposes, and certainly must not displace the residents or damage their livelihood on these grounds.

Featured video

Khirbet Humsah, the Jordan Valley, living with no running water: Summer 2016

Kh. Humsah is one of dozens of small shepherding and farming communities scattered throughout the Jordan Valley. It is comprised of about 20 families and located northeast of the Hamra checkpoint. Like other communities in the Jordan Valley and throughout Area C, Kh. Humsah is not recognized by the Israeli authorities, which repeatedly demolish homes, prevent the community from connecting to the water network and work toward expelling its residents, who struggle to survive in the extreme heat of the Jordan Valley, making a meager living off farming and shepherding, while facing a constant water shortage. Dina and ‘Abdallah Abu Qabash, parents of four and residents of Kh. Humsah, speak about the difficulties of living with a water shortage, and harassment by the Israeli authorities.

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