UNESCO site Battir in West Bank at risk of water shortage due to Israeli settlement plan.

The construction of an Israeli settlement on a nearby hilltop could cause a water shortage and extensive damage to the ecosystem of Battir, a UNESCO world heritage site in the West Bank. Environmental groups have petitioned Israeli authorities to halt the plan, citing its potential impact on the agricultural terraces and water sources supplying the village. The proposed construction is set to begin with 560 new housing units atop a ridge overlooking the terraces, which are irrigated by intricate aqueducts and channels that the village’s farmers share.