On July 27, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s son Yair released an inflammatory tweet attacking the country’s kibbutzim: “To those damn communists, who stole the country’s land at the expense of the development towns: Release the Asi River to the people of Beit Shean, before you start preaching!”

As usual, his tweet set off a media storm. Yair Netanyahu was angry that the kibbutz movement has been playing an active role in organizing the demonstrations against his father outside the prime minister’s official residence on Balfour Street. These demonstrations calling for Netanyahu’s resignation were already gathering momentum and receiving extensive media coverage.

But not everyone knew what he was talking about. What is the Asi River? Anyone who did not know the whole story was suddenly exposed to one of the most fascinating social struggles to take place in Israel over the last five years. Then again, the struggle received little public attention up until this tweet.

The Asi River is a beautiful waterway that meanders through Kibbutz Nir David in northeast Israel. Five years ago, a group of social activists from the adjacent town of Beit Shean launched a campaign to allow all Israelis to enjoy the river. They began by filing suit with the Beit Shean Civil Court, claiming the kibbutz was denying public access to the river. As citizens of the State of Israel, they wanted to take advantage of their natural right to enjoy this rare natural resource, but the kibbutz refused them access, telling them it was private property. The activists dismissed this claim, saying the river itself and the roads leading to it are public, not private, property.