--- title: "Settlers divert Fasayil spring to fill West Bank pool, cutting off Palestinian farms" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/settlers-divert-fasayil-spring-to-fill-west-bank-pool-cutting-off-palestinian-fa" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/settlers-divert-fasayil-spring-to-fill-west-bank-pool-cutting-off-palestinian-fa" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/settlers-divert-fasayil-spring-to-fill-west-bank-pool-cutting-off-palestinian-fa.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/settlers-divert-fasayil-spring-to-fill-west-bank-pool-cutting-off-palestinian-fa" category: "Conflict & Security" area: "Middle East" published: "2026-08-14T13:46:26.621Z" source_reported: "2026-08-14T13:09:42.912Z" updated: "2026-08-14T13:46:26.621Z" trust_score: 78 critic_score: 75 hype_score: 15 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-14T14:45:16.033153+00:00" --- # Settlers divert Fasayil spring to fill West Bank pool, cutting off Palestinian farms *The seizure left crops unplanted and homes without water in the Jordan Valley village, as settlers advertised the pool for tourists* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 78 of 100, higher is better. Reuters full report provides named sources and documents; digests corroborate. - Craft 75 of 100, higher is better. Quotes from affected parties and officials; clear separation of fact/comment. - Hype 15 of 100, lower is better. Headlines are factual; body matches tone. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Israeli settlers diverted water from a Palestinian spring in Fasayil to fill a pool, cutting off irrigation for local farms and domestic supply. - The spring had served the village for generations, and its seizure left crops unplanted and families without water. - Settlers advertised the pool as a tourist attraction and received financial support from Israel’s finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich. - UN data shows settlers have seized control of at least 160 water and sanitation sites in the West Bank in 2026, displacing communities. Israeli settlers diverted water from a spring in the West Bank village of Fasayil to fill a pool at an archaeological site. The spring had supplied water to Palestinian farms and homes in the Jordan Valley for generations. After the diversion, settlers advertised the pool as a tourist attraction and received financial support from Israel’s finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich. The seizure left crops unplanted and families without water. Saad Nemer, a farmer in Fasayil, said his irrigation pipeline was cut off in June. His fields, which normally grow eggplant, zucchini and watermelons, lay fallow. Nemer presented documents showing his family’s ownership of the land, including the spring and the pool, dating to 1957. COGAT, the Israeli military agency that oversees civilian policy in the occupied territories, did not respond to requests for comment. Settlers have seized control of at least 160 water and sanitation sites in the West Bank in 2026, according to UN data. In the northern Jordan Valley, settlers now control 95% of springs, displacing Palestinian communities. Adel Yassin, an official with the Palestinian Authority’s water authority, called the seizures a "water war" designed to force Palestinians off their land. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated digests mentioned the financial support pledged by Israel’s finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, for the development of the pool. None of the centre-rated digests mentioned the settler’s claim that the pool belonged to King Herod, as reported by Breaking News. Only Breaking News, the left-rated full report, included the detail that settlers had beaten a Palestinian employee and threatened Saad Nemer for approaching the spring. ## Who covered it Shares of the 12 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 17% (2) - Centre: 25% (3) - Right: 58% (7) 0 of 12 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-14T14:45:16.033153+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 7 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-14T15:30:12.944Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The two left-rated reports led on the impact of the water diversion on Palestinian farmers and communities. Breaking News quoted Saad Nemer, the farmer whose irrigation pipeline was cut off, and described his fields as "scorched" and unplanted. It also quoted Adel Yassin, who called the seizures a "water war" aimed at making Palestinian life in the West Bank "unsustainable". - Breaking News reported that settlers had advertised the pool as a tourist attraction and that Israel’s finance minister had pledged financial support for its development. It included a quote from Yishai Shreiber, a settler who said Palestinians would not dare approach the site after seeing "large groups of Jews" using it. The report also noted that the UN and most governments consider Israeli settlements illegal under international law. ### Centre - The three centre-rated digests led on the seizure of the spring and its conversion into a recreational pool. France24’s digest said settlers had taken control of a freshwater spring that Palestinian farmers had relied on for generations, leaving crops to wither. It also reported that settlers had seized 95% of springs in the northern Jordan Valley, pushing Palestinian communities off their land. - WTVB and Reuters, both centre-rated, carried digests that described the pool as created by siphoning off water that had irrigated Palestinian crops. None of the centre-rated digests mentioned the financial support pledged by Israel’s finance minister or the settler’s claim that the pool belonged to King Herod. ### Right - The seven right-rated digests led on the diversion of water from Palestinian farms to fill the pool. Globo’s digest described settlers refreshing themselves in the pool on a "hot summer day", while Cyprus Mail and Asharq AL-awsat’s digests noted that the spring had served as a lifeline for the village of Fasayil. Daily Sabah’s digest said settlers had cut off the water supply to Palestinian farmland to set up the pool. - Free Malaysia Today’s digest said the spring had long supported the village of Fasayil before its pipeline was seized. The Hindu Business Line and Straits Times’ digests described the broader pattern of settlers seizing Palestinian freshwater springs and drying up farmlands. None of the right-rated digests mentioned the financial support from Israel’s finance minister or the settler’s claim about King Herod. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 4 - high: 7 - veryHigh: 1 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Globo](https://valor.globo.com/mundo/noticia/2026/08/14/colonos-israelenses-desviam-gua-de-palestinos-para-encher-piscina-na-cisjordnia.ghtml) — Israeli Colonists Divert Palestinian Water to Fill the West Bank's Pool - [Breaking News](https://breakingnews.ie/world/update-1-israeli-settlers-divert-palestinian-water-to-fill-west-bank-pool-1940003.html) — Israeli settlers divert Palestinian water to fill West Bank pool - [Cyprus Mail](https://cyprus-mail.com/2026/08/14/israeli-settlers-divert-palestinian-water-to-fill-west-bank-pool) — Israeli settlers divert Palestinian water to fill West Bank pool - [France24](https://france24.com/en/middle-east/20260814-israeli-settlers-seize-palestinian-water-source-in-occupied-west-bank-to-create-recreational-pool) — Israeli settlers seize Palestinian water source in occupied West Bank to create recreational pool - [Asharq AL-awsat](https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5306819-israeli-settlers-divert-palestinian-water-fill-west-bank-pool) — Israeli Settlers Divert Palestinian Water to Fill West Bank Pool - [Daily Sabah](https://dailysabah.com/world/mid-east/israeli-settlers-cut-palestinian-water-supply-set-up-swimming-pool) — Israeli settlers cut Palestinian water supply, set up swimming pool - [Free Malaysia Today News](https://freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2026/08/14/israeli-settlers-divert-palestinian-water-to-fill-west-bank-pool) — Israeli settlers divert Palestinian water to fill West Bank pool - [The Hindu Business Line](https://thehindubusinessline.com/news/world/israeli-settlers-seize-palestinian-freshwater-springs-dry-up-farmlands/article71344344.ece) — Israeli settlers seize Palestinian freshwater springs, dry up farmlands - [The Straits Times](https://straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/the-palestinian-freshwater-springs-being-seized-by-israeli-settlers) — The Palestinian freshwater springs being seized by Israeli settlers - [WTVB](https://wtvbam.com/2026/08/14/the-palestinian-freshwater-springs-being-seized-by-israeli-settlers) — The Palestinian freshwater springs being seized by Israeli settlers - [Reuters](https://reuters.com/world/middle-east/palestinian-freshwater-springs-being-seized-by-israeli-settlers-2026-08-14) — Israeli settlers divert Palestinian water to fill West Bank pool - [Al-Monitor](https://al-monitor.com/originals/2026/08/palestinian-freshwater-springs-being-seized-israeli-settlers) — The Palestinian freshwater springs being seized by Israeli settlers ## Questions **What happened to the water supply in Fasayil?** Israeli settlers diverted water from a spring in Fasayil to fill a pool, cutting off irrigation for farms and domestic supply. The spring had served the village for generations, and its seizure left crops unplanted and families without water. **How many water sites have settlers seized in the West Bank in 2026?** UN data shows Israeli settlers have seized control of at least 160 water and sanitation sites in the West Bank in 2026. In the northern Jordan Valley, settlers now control 95% of springs, displacing Palestinian communities. **Did Israel’s government respond to the water diversion in Fasayil?** COGAT, the Israeli military agency overseeing civilian policy in the occupied territories, and Israel’s finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, did not respond to requests for comment on the water diversion in Fasayil. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/conflict/settlers-divert-fasayil-spring-to-fill-west-bank-pool-cutting-off-palestinian-fa. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Settlers divert Fasayil spring to fill West Bank pool, cutting off Palestinian farms", https://mediabias.news/conflict/settlers-divert-fasayil-spring-to-fill-west-bank-pool-cutting-off-palestinian-fa