West Bank spring diverted without authorization to ancient Herod pool
8 sourcesUpdated Sep 26, 2026
Israeli settlers have increasingly sought control of natural springs and heritage sites in the occupied West Bank, which Palestinian communities depend on for drinking water, irrigation and tourism. This summer, water from a spring serving Fasayil was diverted without authorization to fill a nearby ancient pool promoted as a tourist attraction named for Herod; a settlement-monitoring group says the privately owned land is in Area C, under full Israeli military control. Farmer Saad Nemer said the loss of water devastated his fields, and Israel’s COGAT agency acknowledged the diversion and said it would investigate. The dispute reflects broader tensions over access to land and resources, as other springs have also become flashpoints for violence.
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“Settlers Divert West Bank Spring Water”This unauthorized diversion shows how hard it is for locals to protect their own resources when rules get ignored.
The settlers had no right to take that spring water from Fasayil's farmland just to fill an old pool for tourists.