Historic water well in Al Hadidiya, with Ro'i settlement in the backgroundOn 24th February the Israeli Occupation Force (IOF) stopped the renovation of five wells in the northern Jordan Valley. Israeli soldiers stopped, for no reason, the work to two wells in Al-Hadidiya and three in Khirbet Samra, which are also used by the inhabitants of the village of Mak-hul. The wells have the capacity to supply more than 30 families in the area and reach 12 metres deep.

These wells pre-date the Israeli occupation of Palestine in 1967, and were used by previous generations of Abu Sakr’s family, who still live in Al-Hadidiya today. Wells have existed in this region for more than 700 years and date back to the rule of the Roman Empire.

Water is a major problem for the Palestinians living under Israeli occupation. Villagers from Al Hadidiya, Kirbet Samra and Mak-hul have to travel 17 km and pass through checkpoints to fill their portable water tanks at a cost of 270 shekels. However, as Palestinian trucks are prevented from travelling on the highway by the Israeli Civil Administration it is common for Palestinians received a fine from 500 to 1000 shekels for this operation.

“The people from Al-Hadidiya are alone,” says Abu Sakr, resident of Al Hadidiya.

Today, the Palestinian villages are surrounded by agricultural settlements and Israeli military training camps. “This action is only for the eyes of the settlers,” says Abu Sakr.

Statistics from the United National Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) show that Israeli settlers living in the West Bank consume six times more water per head than Palestinians.