Israel settlers dump waste in Palestinian spring near Jericho

Israeli settlers today polluted the Al-Auja Spring, north of the city of Jericho in the occupied West Bank, by dumping waste into it.

The General Supervisor of Al-Baydar Organisation for Defending Bedouin Rights, Hassan Malihat, reported that the settlers’ aim was to contaminate the spring water, depriving local Palestinians of clean drinking water.

Moreover, according to the Wafa news agency, Israeli occupation authorities issued fines to Bedouin tractor drivers from nearby communities who were trying to collect water for drinking and livestock purposes.

Malihat stressed that dumping waste into spring water poses both immediate and long-term health risks to local residents, as well as a significant environmental threat. He emphasised that this act is a violation of World Health Organisation (WHO) regulations and international humanitarian law.

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In recent years, Al-Auja villagers have suffered from Israeli demolition and persecution campaigns and repeated attacks and violations by settlers and occupation soldiers.

Its residents are denied access to basic services by occupation authorities due to its location in ‘Area C’ of the occupied West Bank, which is Palestinian land under Israel’s administrative and military control.

Since the 1967 Naksa, Israel has occupied the West Bank of the Jordan River, which Palestinians seek as the core of an independent state. It has built illegal Jewish-only settlements there.

Israel has stepped up raids in the West Bank since the Gaza war began in October. United Nations’ records show at least 553 people in the Palestinian territory have been killed since 7 October, a quarter of them children.

Under international law, both the West Bank and East Jerusalem are occupied territories. All settlement building is, therefore, illegal.

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