Israeli authorities have ordered a Palestinian children’s football club in the occupied West Bank to dismantle its pitch or face demolition, despite an international campaign calling for it to be saved.
Supporters of the club say the pitch offers a rare sporting outlet for young Palestinians. Israel, however, says it was built without the required permits.
The small artificial turf pitch sits on the edge of Bethlehem, directly beside the concrete barrier separating Israel from much of the West Bank. It was constructed in 2020 and is used by more than 200 children from the nearby Aida refugee camp.
For the families who live there, space is scarce. The camp is home to descendants of Palestinians displaced during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, and the pitch has become a rare place for children to play and train.
On 3 November last year, players arriving for practice found a notice attached to the gate declaring the pitch illegal. A demolition order soon followed.
“We don’t have anywhere else to play,” said 10-year-old Naya. “We are building our dreams here. If they demolish our field, they will demolish our dreams.”
Another young player, Mohammed, said he was deeply upset by the news, calling the pitch “a field I really care for”.
The community has responded with an online campaign, sharing videos on social media and launching a petition that has gathered hundreds of thousands of signatures worldwide. After legal representations, the club was granted a brief seven-day reprieve, but that extension has now expired.
Under Israeli procedures, the club must either remove the pitch itself or wait for the authorities to demolish it, after which it would be billed for the costs.
Although Bethlehem is designated as an area under Palestinian civil control, the land where the pitch sits is classified by Israel as Area C, which remains under full Israeli administrative authority. Israeli officials say the pitch was built unlawfully in a restricted zone alongside the security barrier.
Critics argue that Palestinians are routinely denied building permits in Area C, while Israeli settlements continue to expand there — settlements widely regarded as illegal under international law.
Local organisers say the issue goes beyond planning regulations. Mohammad Abu Srour of the Aida Youth Centre said the demolition threat was part of a broader effort to undermine hope among Palestinians. “The moment we lose hope and opportunity, we are going to leave,” he said.
In a statement, the Israeli military said construction along the security fence was prohibited and carried out without authorisation.
As attention focuses on the wider conflict and ongoing instability across the region, the children who play here are left waiting — uncertain whether their small patch of green turf will survive.
