As Israeli settlements thrive, Palestinian taps run dry. The water crisis reflects a broader battle

Across the dusty villages of the occupied West Bank, where Israeli water pipes don’t reach, Palestinians say they can't get enough water to wash their clothes — let alone irrigate their farms. By comparison, the neighboring Jewish settlements look like an oasis, with pools and vineyards. The struggle for water access in this strip of fertile land reflects a wider contest for control of the West Bank — and in particular the Jordan Valley, which Palestinians consider the breadbasket of their hoped-for future state and Israelis consider the key to protecting their eastern border. The hazards have increased in recent years, experts and officials say, as climate change and population growth have taken their toll.