44 The Independent Commission for Human Rights - ICHR exempt from assaults. Israeli settlers assaulted the Roman Church. Examples of attacks on mosques include the demolition of the Um Qussa Mosque, still under construction, in Massafer Yatta, riad into the Grand Mosque of the Aqraba town in Nablus, and arrest of Sheikh Sameer Buheis, muezzin of the Yatta Grand Mosque. The IOF issued a stop work order for a mosque under construction in the Qurnat ad-Da’mas, Bethlehem governorate. Dozens of Israeli settlers stormed into the An-Nabi Yunis Mosque. In Jenin, the IOF set fire to the contents of the Turs Allah in the vicinity of the Jaba’ town. Having forced worshippers out, Israeli soldiers raided the site, stored into the mosque, and set carpets and contents on fire. The IOF prevented the local community from restoring the building. The IOF also demolished the Duma Mosque in the Nablus governorate. The Israeli Jerusalem Municipality delivered a notice to demolish the recently refurbished dome of the Archaeology-Rahman Mosque in the Beit Safafa village, southeast of Jerusalem. Israeli settlers set up a large menorah on the An-Nabi Samwil Mosque. During the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, dozens of mosques sustained extensive damage. Waqf structures and premises, the building housing the Ad-Da’wa College, and cemeteries were also destroyed.58 1.1.16 Water The majority of Palestinian governorates have suffered from significant water shortages as the Israeli occupying authorities continue to seize control of more than 85 percent of Palestinian water sources in the West Bank. Shortfalls are compounded ever year due to growing water demand driven by natural population growth and increasing water needs for development across economy sectors. The Israeli occupying authorities continued to block Palestinian access to and use of the Jordan River and Dead Sea, exclusively benefiting from their economic value and natural resources. Because they prevent the construction of dams and rain collection pools in the West Bank, on an annual basis, the Israeli authorities constrain the exploitation of more than 165 million cubic metres (MCM) of rainwater, which go to waste in the Mediterranean Sea and Jordan River.59 The Israeli occupying authorities impeded infrastructure projects, particularly in Area C (more than 61 percent of the Palestinian territory). Israel continued to prevent Palestinians from developing artesian wells, destroyed agricultural wells, and seized control of a large number of water springs. While it obstructed the drilling of Palestinian wells, Israel continued to drill wells without consent of the Joint Water Committee, such as the Kedumim, Atara, Fasayil and other wells. Allegedly to treat transboundary water, the Israeli occupying authorities deduct some ILS 100-200 million from Palestinian clearance revenues a year. According to Palestinian calculations, however, the cost of wastewater treatment does not exceed ILS 45 million. Water wastage from the Mekorot water company pipelines is high because Palestinians are unable to rehabilitate these pipelines, which are all installed in Area C. To do so, complex Israeli approvals are required and costs the Palestinian Public Treasury over ILS 30 million per annum. Additionally, some 10 MCM of water is lost every year at a time Palestinians are in dire need for this quantity to meet their basic needs.60 Towards 2027, Palestinians are prohibited from repairing water pipelines in Area C, adversely reflecting on Palestinian citizens’ enjoyment of the right to water to meet their needs.61 In May 2021, the Israeli military aggression on the Gaza Strip caused extensive damage to water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure. The IOF systematically targeted water and sanitation facilities. Direct bombardment and destruction of water structures caused heavy losses to the water sector. Indirect shelling put these facilities out of order, oftentimes endangering the lives of their 58 Ibid. 60 Ibid. 59 61 Letter from the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA), March 2022. Ibid. The Situation of Human Rights in Palestine