Salfit, Farkhah

Farkhah, a small village in the region of Salfit, suffers from a severe water shortage. The days are hot but the water supply is measured and doesn’t suffice to water the vegetable gardens and the trees. They become dry and wither. The livestock suffers terribly. The chicken die of thirst.

We set out to the Salfit region following Amira Hass’s article about the extreme water shortage in this region. The road passes among olive groves. The slopes of the hills are adorned by terraces.

This is a link to a film we produced following the visit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1xdlKHFUvs

The slopes of Salfit

The road leading to Farkhah

the mosque

At Farkhah, a small village in the region of Salfit we met a young man called F. who directed us to M. the secretary of the village council.

M. told us about the water shortage. The village has 2000 inhabitants. The consumption of the whole village is about 200 cubic metres per day, that’s to say about 100 litres per day per family. Lately the water supply was decreased by a third. They receive 200 litres for three days. That means only 70 litres per day per person. There is not enough water to water the vegetable gardens, the orchards and the livestock. Even for daily washing there isn’t enough water. People are forced to buy water in bottles to complete the basic consumption.

In the village they know that in the settlements there is no water limitation. There they get as much water as they need. What is left goes to the Palestinians.

M. tells us that he bought young tree for 2500 Shekel. The investment went down the drain. The trees dried up because of the water shortage. We go with M. to the orchard plot to see the trees and the vegetables which dried up because of the daught.

The road to the plot of M.

F. shows us a broad bean plant that dried up because of the water shortage. In the background one can see the dried up broad bean field.

M. holds a chicken which was found dead at the moment we entered the chicken house.

The hospital named after Arafat

and a street scene.