Israel Moves to Formalize Controversial West Bank Pool on Palestinian Land

Israeli authorities have initiated a development project around a reservoir in the occupied West Bank that Palestinians say was filled by settlers illegally diverting water from their village. Rather than restoring the flow to the Jordan Valley community of Fasayil, near Jericho, officials are moving to formalize the site under the name “Herod’s Pool,” linking it to broader historical preservation efforts.

On Sunday, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a prominent far-right figure, announced the commencement of the project. He posted images of construction activity, declaring that the initiative would “strengthen [Israel’s] hold” on the area. The announcement follows a June pledge by Smotrich to allocate over three million shekels, approximately $1 million, to develop the site, despite its location on privately owned Palestinian property.

The reservoir, which settlers have dubbed Herod’s Pool, sits adjacent to a natural spring. While the name references King Herod the Great, a ruler from the first century BC, archaeologists note that there is no established evidence linking the structure to him. Alon Arad, executive director of the Israeli NGO Emek Shaveh, told Reuters that the origins of the pool remain unclear and criticized the use of archaeology to foster a narrative of exclusive Jewish ownership in the West Bank.

Palestinian farmer Saad Nemer asserts that his family has owned the land for more than a century, a claim supported by title records reviewed by Reuters. Nemer reported that settlers have repeatedly stolen his irrigation equipment to fill the pool, leaving his crops withered and greenhouses empty. He also alleged that settlers threatened him and assaulted one of his employees.

COGAT, the Israeli military body administering the occupied territories, acknowledged that the water diversion occurred without authorization and stated it would launch an investigation. However, Nemer told The New York Times that although he was promised restored water access, the supply lasted only one day before being cut off again. Fearful of further settler violence, he now avoids the reservoir.

Critics argue this incident reflects a wider pattern of utilizing heritage claims to consolidate control over Palestinian land. Similar efforts have targeted “Solomon’s Pools” in Bethlehem and the Herodium fortress south of Jerusalem. In Sebastia, significant funding has been directed since 2023 toward transforming an archaeological site into an Israeli national park, a move Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu described as prioritizing Jewish heritage. These actions are part of a strategy to rebrand the occupied West Bank as “Judea and Samaria,” effectively separating it from its Palestinian identity in official discourse.