Bethlehem - Ma'an - Citizens staged a sit-in on Monday morning in front of the Water Department in Bethlehem, protesting the "discriminatory policy in water distribution." The Executive Director of the Water and Sewage Authority in Bethlehem, Akram Nassar, refused to speak with the protesters or respond to citizens' questions. Lawyer Farid Al-Atrash, one of the organizers of the sit-in, said that there is control by influential people in the water department over the distribution policy. The protesters demanded the formation of an investigation committee into the water distribution mechanism, indicating that the protests will continue until all areas are fairly distributed. The protesters indicated that there will be subsequent escalating protest steps. Many areas in Bethlehem Governorate are still suffering from a clear shortage of water, as drinking water is cut off from many areas for long periods, amidst the absence of solutions to the water crisis. The water shortage crisis in the governorate has w orsened, increasing the financial burdens on citizens, who are forced to buy water tanks monthly to secure their minimum needs. Source: Maan News Agency