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| The three destroyed wells supplied more than 47 Palestinian families, around 600 people (Mojahid Nawahda/MEE) |
As first light reaches the scattered tents and animal pens of Ras al-Ahmar in the northern Jordan Valley, the silence is broken only by the cries of thirsty livestock waiting for water that no longer comes.
Days after Israeli forces destroyed three of the Palestinian community's main water wells, residents are scrambling to secure enough water for their families, crops and animals in one of the occupied West Bank's driest regions.
For 60-year-old Ali Bani Odeh, the destruction of the wells was more than merely the loss of infrastructure. A father of four and grandfather of 14, he has spent decades farming and raising livestock to support his family in Ras al-Ahmar.
Now, like dozens of other families, he is uncertain how long they can continue living on the land without a reliable water supply.
"Water is everything for us," Ali told Middle East Eye.
"Without water, we cannot live. We need it for our families, our sheep and our crops. Since the wells were destroyed, we have been forced to bring water from town at a much higher cost, and even then, we're not always allowed to pass."
Families must now haul water from distant towns at far greater expense, while military checkpoints and movement restrictions frequently delay or prevent tankers from reaching the village.
'The wells were the lifeline of this community'
– Abdullah Bisharat, head of the village council
According to Ras al-Ahmar village council head Abdullah Bisharat, the three destroyed wells supplied more than 47 Palestinian families, serving over 600 people and irrigating around 7,500 dunams of farmland.
The wells also sustained thousands of sheep and goats, the main source of income for many families.
"The wells were the lifeline of this community," Bisharat said.
"Their destruction has affected every aspect of daily life, from drinking water and agriculture to livestock, leaving dozens of families struggling to meet their most basic needs."
Settler attacks
Residents say the destruction marked the worst escalation in a months-long water crisis caused by Israeli settler attacks.
They say settlers repeatedly cut the pipelines supplying the community, forcing families to rely on costly water tankers. This time, however, the wells themselves were destroyed, eliminating the community's main source of water.
Ali's son, Obeida Bani Odeh, fears the loss of the wells threatens not only his family's livelihood but also their future in Ras al-Ahmar.
"We cannot survive here without water," Obeida said.
"For months, the pipelines supplying our community were repeatedly cut, and we had to bring water from nearby towns, often at three times the usual cost.
"Now the wells have been destroyed, and there is no reliable source of water left for our families or our livestock."
He said the challenges extend beyond water shortages. Settler attacks and movement restrictions have made it increasingly difficult to bring in water, animal feed and other essential supplies.
"The settlers attack everyone, from the young to the old," Obeida said.
"They want to make people afraid and force them to leave. But we have been living on this land for generations."... READ MORE https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/they-want-make-us-leave-israel-destroys-west-bank-wells-serving-palestinian-herders