Israeli Settlers Divert Palestinian Water to Fill West Bank Pool

In the West Bank, there is a village called Fasayil where farmers have used water from a natural spring for a very long time.

That water helped them grow food like eggplants, zucchini and watermelons and filled their home taps.

This summer, a group called Israeli settlers took the water and poured it into an old pool so people could swim in it.

The farmer who owns the land, Saad Nemer, says his water is still cut off, so he cannot plant his crops and many families may lose their work.

That is not the only place: the United Nations counted at least 160 times this year when settlers damaged places that give Palestinians water.

Palestinians say this is a 'water war,' a way to make their lives so hard that they have to leave their land.

Israel's finance minister gave about one million dollars to fix up the old pool, which settlers say belonged to an ancient king named Herod.

An archaeologist says nobody really knows who built the pool and filling it with water may hurt the old site.

Many countries say Israeli settlements in the West Bank are against international law, but Israel says the land is disputed, not occupied.

Even a popular picnic spot near Nablus was taken over by hundreds of settlers this summer.