Illegal water pipeline infrastructure bearing the logo of the UN Humanitarian Fund has been running through the heart of a protected nature reserve in the Judean Desert in violation of Israeli-Palestinian peace agreements as reported by The Press Service (TPS) of Israel.
“The UN is advancing the establishment of a Palestinian state at any cost, disregarding laws and agreements, and funding illegal construction—even in areas where the Palestinians explicitly agreed not to build,” legal expert Maurice Hirsch told TPS. “This is a glaring example of negligence by Israel in the face of blatant violations,” added Hirsch.
The area, known as the Judean Desert Nature Reserve, was originally designated as Area B, meaning it came under Palestinian Authority administrative jurisdiction and Israeli security responsibility. However, the 41,000-acre reserve, was enshrined as a “no-build” zone under the 1998 Wye River Memorandum.
But recent findings highlight systematic violations, apparently financed through international funding.
“We’re looking at a UN-funded water pipeline project allegedly aimed at assisting marginalized communities, yet it’s located inside a nature reserve—a zone that should be protected from such activities,” said Naomi Kahn of Regavim.
“There’s no need to negotiate with the UN about this illegal activity,” Hirsch told TPS-IL. “These infrastructures should be dismantled immediately. Their actions—falsely claiming these funds are for communities far from the reserve—are blatantly dishonest.”