Ramallah: The Israeli military destroyed six agricultural water wells in the village of Kofr Dhan near Jenin on Wednesday in an operation which has badly harmed the agricultural sector and caused farmers serious financial loses.

Talal Dwaikat, Jenin Governor, said that the Israeli military and colonists are wagging a dirty and aggressive war against Palestinian farmer.

“The Israeli military operation has left hundreds of Palestinian farmers without water to irrigate their corps, plants and trees,” he told Gulf News.

The Israeli military, armed with several bulldozers, raided the village of Kofr Dhan and areas of Jenin and destroyed the water wells. It defended the destruction with claims that those wells had not been licensed by Israeli authorities, despite the fact that those water wells were dug during Jordanian rule prior to the time Israel illegally annexed the West Bank.

Villagers attempted to stop the Israeli military bulldozers but the Israeli military clashed with them, beating them and arresting several protesters.

Dwaikat said that Israel is targeting Jenin and focusing on the agricultural sector as it is the key ingredient of the governorate’s economy. “Israel is practicing fierce, aggressive and unjustified policies against the extremely limited sources of income of Palestinians,” he said.

The Jenin Governorate will address the issue of the destroyed wells with international institutions and human rights groups. “The water wells are controlled by international conventions and certain articles are mentioned in the agreements signed between the Palestinians and the Israelis, but the Israelis do not adhere to their commitments,” he said.

He said that Jenin farmers face a serious irrigation problem and that problem needs to be instantly resolved or huge number of trees will die. “We will discuss the problem with senior officials of the Palestinian National Authority PNA at the earliest opportunity to find an alternative source of water,” he said.

“The people of Jenin have suffered serious financial loses as a result of the Israeli military operation,” he said, adding that the PNA had not been aware of the Israeli plans.

“This is the Israeli gift for Jenin farmers a couple of days before Eid Al Adha,” he said.

Israel only recognizes the old water wells in the West Bank and does not allow Palestinians to dig any new well. Even the already existing wells would be destroyed if they were deepened or any renovation was made to them.

Water is a critical issue for the Israelis. Israel’s control of water has pushed the price of water in cities and agricultural areas. The PNA has repeatedly asked the Israelis to hold meetings with the joint Palestinian Israeli Water Committee but the Israelis have failed to comply to the request since 2000 when the Al Aqsa Uprising (Intifada) was initiated.