دير إبزيع: عين بوبين

Ein Bobein Spring (عين بوبين) lies in the heart of the Palestinian village of Deir Ibzi’, just 7 km west of Ramallah. Surrounded by olive groves and rolling hills, this natural spring has long served as a popular destination for Palestinian families from the area — a place to gather, cool off, and connect with the land. The village of Deir Ibzi’, home to around 2,000 residents, has become a regular target of violent incursions by Israeli settlers.
In recent years, settlers have increasingly set up caravans near the spring, claiming control of the site and sealing it off from the Palestinian villagers who have used it for generations. These acts of appropriation are often accompanied by military protection, effectively barring Palestinians from accessing their own water sources. Despite being located in the occupied West Bank and falling under Palestinian jurisdiction, the spring is now frequently inaccessible to its rightful owners.
The takeover of Ein Bobein is not an isolated case. Across the West Bank, dozens of natural springs have been seized by settlers, turning once-public Palestinian spaces into exclusionary zones. A 2012 report by B’Tselem documented at least 30 springs taken over by settlers, who often install picnic tables, signs in Hebrew, and sometimes even surveillance equipment — all while Palestinian access is blocked or made dangerous. These spring seizures form part of a broader strategy of land appropriation and control over vital natural resources.
For many Palestinians, these springs are more than just water sources — they are cultural landmarks and community spaces deeply tied to memory, tradition, and identity. The loss of access not only limits their freedom of movement and livelihood but also symbolizes the erasure of their presence from the land.