Key facts
- Settler violence and water diversion have forced over 100 Palestinian families to leave their homes near Ein al-Auja in the West Bank.
- The water flow from the Ein al-Auja spring has significantly decreased, impacting the community's ability to sustain itself.
- New illegal Israeli settlement outposts have been established in the area, correlating with a rise in settler attacks since early 2024.
- Settlers have been accused of damaging water infrastructure, blocking access, and intimidating residents attempting to collect water.
- Displaced families are now living in remote areas with limited access to essential services like education and healthcare.
Settler violence and the diversion of water resources have led to the forced displacement of over 100 Palestinian families from the Ein al-Auja community, a natural spring and waterfall north of Jericho in the occupied West Bank. Residents describe a relentless cycle of restrictions, attacks, and diminishing access to water that made their continued presence untenable.
Haitham Rashaidh, one of the last to leave, explained that his family relocated to al-Balqa, a remote area in the Jordan Valley, impacting their children's ability to attend school. The spring, historically a vital source supporting the Bedouin community, has seen its water flow drastically reduced, estimated at 50 to 70 percent less than its historical torrent of thousands of cubic metres daily. This decline is attributed to both climate change and intensive pumping from deep Israeli wells that divert water to settlements.
Reports indicate a significant increase in settler attacks since early 2024, coinciding with the establishment of new illegal Israeli settlement outposts. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) documented at least 38 attacks last year, with settlers allegedly damaging water pipes, blocking access roads, and emptying water tanks. In one incident earlier this year, 26 families comprising 124 people were forcibly displaced.
The water crisis has had a devastating impact on livelihoods, agriculture, and daily survival. Irrigated land has shrunk dramatically, and displaced families, particularly women responsible for water collection, face arduous journeys and water rationing. The situation has also affected local wildlife and pastoral communities, with reports of widespread livestock losses due to movement restrictions and settler raids.