Israeli Settlers Divert West Bank Water to Herod's Pool, Drying Palestinian Farms Since June
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 20
Israeli Settlers Divert West Bank Water to Herod's Pool, Drying Palestinian Farms Since June
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 20
Summary
A pipeline supplying Palestinian farms and a nearby community in the Jordan Valley was cut in June and rerouted to Herod’s Pool, leaving fields to wither, according to farmers and the Israeli military.
At the reservoir, water was seen gushing into the pool last month as dozens of Israelis swam and picnicked on privately owned land; the site now draws hundreds of visitors a week.
Saad Nemer, 69, said his family owns the land around the pool and watched crops such as watermelons, eggplants and cucumbers lose their main irrigation source overnight.
No one has claimed responsibility for severing the pipe, but settlers celebrated the pool’s refilling online, and an Israeli lawmaker promoted visits as a way of “occupying the land.”