West Bank Civil Administration Imposes Fines for Illegal Water Drilling
The Civil Administration in the West Bank imposed 200,000 shekels in fines for illegal water drilling near Jenin, utilizing new administrative enforcement powers for the first time.
For the first time in the West Bank, the Civil Administration has deployed a new enforcement tool against illegal water drilling, imposing financial sanctions totaling 200,000 shekels on the operators of two trucks caught in the Jenin area.
New Administrative Authorities
This marks the first implementation in the region of a new authority enabling the Civil Administration to act against lawbreakers using administrative tools and impose significant financial sanctions. The water sector is the first field where this new authority is applied.
In the first case, a truck was seized during an illegal water drilling operation in the Jenin area, and a fine of 120,000 shekels was imposed on its operators. In another case, a second drilling truck was caught performing unauthorized drilling work, incurring an 80,000 shekel penalty.
The trucks will remain in the possession of the Civil Administration until payment is made, and if the sanctions are not paid, proceedings can be advanced to confiscate them.
Enhanced Enforcement in the Water Sector
The enforcement was carried out with the assistance of inspection and enforcement teams from the Water Authority, who were authorized by the Water Staff Officer to operate in the West Bank starting in June 2026. These teams are designed to bolster the Civil Administration's enforcement capabilities, monitor water sources, and combat water theft and pirate drilling.
The Civil Administration stated that illegal drilling causes significant damage to the water economy, and the sanctions are intended to add a heavy economic cost and create deterrence.
