Notifying a park and a tent with stop work in Wad Fukin

October 21, 2013

Violation: serving a stop work order on a park and a tent

Location: Wad Fukin/ Bethlehem governorate

Date: 21/10/2013

Perpetrators: Civil Administration – Supreme council- Inspection Sub-Committee

Victims: residents of the village

Details:

On October 21st 2013, a massive force of the occupation army accompanied by the Civil Administration raided the area of Ein Midiak in the village of Wad Fukin and served the village council a stop work order on a park of 500m2 in area and a tent relative to it. This park is the only breather for the village residents.

The military order no. 160173 mentioned that the park and the tenet were unlicensed constructions and compelled the village council of immediate stop work. October 13th 2013 was assigned as the session of the Inspection Sub-Committee to consider the status of the notified structures.

The military order no. 160173

Photos1-3: a scene of the threatened park

The military order no. 160174 served on the tent]

Photo4: pillars for the under construction tent

It should be mentioned that the park was established in 2012 and funded by the government of the Netherlands for the sake of creating a recreational area for the residents. In terms of the tent, it was supposed to be expanded into another part of the park but the occupation came to destroy this dream. This proves the occupation brutality represented even in denying kids their right to play.

Citizen Rasha from the village council to the LRC researcher: "this very park is where all families gather and meet where kids play and enjoy their time. It is considered the only recreational area in the village. The park is located in Ein Midiak, which is surrounded by green mountains of captivating scenery. The occupation invested all effort to harass us by serving the stop work order on the park and by colonial expansion on a wider spectrum".

A resident of town Jamil Assaf to the LRC said that: "if the park gets closed, the only breather for the people in the area will be shut down. Kids will be denied the right to play and families will be deprived from a recreational place".

The reason behind serving an order on the park is the interests of Betar Illit colonists in the area. Every now and then, colonists break into the park and sit there as if it was theirs. This bans Palestinians from being in the area. Not only that, colonists used to throw stones on people at the park to harass them and push them to leave so they can hang out in there.

About Wad Fukin:

It is located 15 kilometer west of Bethlehem and is surrounded by the borders of 1967 (north and west), Nahhalin and Husan (east), and Jab'a (south). Wad Fukin has a population of 1168 according to statistics conducted in 2007. It has a total area of 3817 dunums, 161 of which are built-up area.

The Israeli occupation confiscated 299 dunums of Wadi Fukin lands for the sake of two colonies. The first is Har Hadasa which was built in 1978 and devoured 4 dunums while the other is Betar Illit which was built in 1985 and confiscated 295 dunums.

The Apartheid Wall confiscated 402 dunums and isolated 980 dunums in a way that denies people access to their lands. The length of the constructed Wall on Fukin lands is 4,029 meters.

According to Oslo Accords, 7% of Wad Fukin is under Area B (PA is in charge of civil matters with Israel responsible for security) while most of the village lands (93%) is under Area C (Israel maintains full security and administrative control). Here are the area in dunums: