Name: Israel to demolish a football pitch in Bethlehem
Uploaded: 2026-01-10T16:57:32.459Z
Duration: 2 min 9 s
Description: An Israeli demolition order targets one of the few safe play spaces for children in a crowded refugee camp in Palestine.

An Israeli demolition order targets one of the few safe play spaces for children in a crowded refugee camp in Palestine.

Jerusalem

Israeli forces have issued a demolition order for a football pitch located in Bethlehem's Aida refugee camp, stating that the facility lacks the required building permits. The pitch, which borders Israel's separation wall and military installations, serves approximately 250 children weekly and is situated in an area where Palestinians face significant obstacles in obtaining construction permits.

The land is owned by the Armenian church and leased to camp residents, who submitted permit documents five years ago but received only verbal authorization. With 99% of such permit requests reportedly rejected by Israeli authorities, local children and families fear losing a vital recreational space in a densely populated refugee camp.

Israel to demolish a football pitch in Bethlehem

This here is an attempt to create normalcy. But look around me. Nothing about this reality is normal. This football pitch borders Israel's separation wall, a few military watchtowers, and a military checkpoint. All these cheers, the joy, and the shouting could all be silenced soon. This document that I'm carrying is a demolition threat by the Israeli forces. It says this playground lacks the proper building permits. It was found by the children coming to their practice, posted on the fence. In 60% of the occupied West Bank, Palestinians need Israeli permits to build. This land is owned by the Armenian church and it leased it to the camp's residents. Palestinians submitted all required documents five years ago and received a verbal authorization, but not a permit. This is not strange. Israeli authorities reject 99% of such permit requests, leaving people forced to build without authorization or not build at all. Mahmoud El-Ayan tells us he loves playing here. He's been a regular for two years. If they demolish the pitch, we won't be able to play here and will be forced to practice in the alleys of the camp. We might get run over by cars there. We could even hurt our legs. The football pitch is 1,100 square meters, serves around 250 children weekly. It's located in Aida refugee camp that houses more than 7,000 Palestinian refugees, all cramped in less than one kilometer. By all standards, this is a basic pitch, a simple playground, but it gave the children a lot, an airspace to practice, a chance to play. Some of them even played with professional football teams. Childhood here is already stolen by displacement, by loss, by violence. So this playground represents a unique opportunity, allowing children to be children when everything around them says they cannot. Nida Ibrahim, Al-Jazeera, The Occupied West Bank, Palestine.

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