Israel’s national water company has cut crucial water supplies to large areas of the occupied West Bank, leaving tens of thousands of Palestinians without access to safe drinking water during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Mekorot, the main supplier of water to Palestinian towns and cities, siphoned off water supplies to the municipality of Jenin, several Nablus villages and the city of Salfit and its surrounding villages.
Ayman Rabi, the executive director of the Palestinian Hydrology Group, was quoted as saying to Al Jazeera on Tuesday that in some areas, people had not received water for more than 40 days.
“People are relying on purchasing water from water trucks or finding it from alternative sources such as springs and other filling points in their vicinity,” he said.
“Families are having to live on two, three or 10 liters per capita per day,” he added.
The United Nations has said an average person would need to consume 7.5 liters of water per day.
The Israeli move to cut water supplies comes as summer heat waves have shot the mercury up to 35 degrees Celsius at some places across the occupied territories.
Jenin Mayor Ragheb Al Haj Hassan said that the water had been cut off without prior notice. “Residents suffer badly in this hot weather and at this time of Ramadan.”
“Israel and Israel only is responsible for the water cuts as agreements signed with Israel clearly state that Mekorot should provide the northern areas of the West Bank with their needs of water,” he said.
Source: Al Jazeera
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