Samy Daghlas, the mayor of Burqa village in the West Bank told Al-Quds Net Network that the Israeli Water Company, Mekorot, has cut off water from villages surrounding Burqa village in northern West Bank for three days.
The move resulted in directing 15 cubic meters of water out of the 60 cubic meters which the villages used to receive daily to the adjacent Israeli colony of Shavi Shamroun.
The Palestinian Water Authority said in a statement, “The northern towns of the West Bank, especially in Salfit and Jenin, were mostly impacted after the move by Mekorot.”
Israel cuts off water supplies to Palestinians in north West Bank https://t.co/0BfBCSqCh3 pic.twitter.com/HJDsNNgAMq
— Henny A.J. Kreeft (@KhamakarPress) June 11, 2016
PWA condemned the Israeli move that came during the holy month of Ramadan, depriving thousands of Palestinians from drinking water.
Salfit local council has warned of a water crisis in the town after Mekorot’s decision to decrease 60% of water supplies allocated for the city. It called on residents to decrease water consumption to avoid further crisis.
Israelis settlers have access to 300 liters of water per day, according to the Emergency Water, Sanitation and Hygiene group (EWASH), while the West Bank average has around 70 liters, which is well below the World Health Organization’s recommended minimum of 100 liters per day for basic sanitation, hygiene and drinking.
Mekorot has been a target for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Movement for its role in stealing Palestinian water in the West Bank. The company has lost contracts in Latin America after its role in the Israeli occupation of Palestine was exposed.
(PC, Al-Quds News Network, PIC)
