Displaying items by tag: Israeli military

A small Palestinian children’s football pitch in Bethlehem has been granted a temporary reprieve after Israel postponed its planned demolition. The Aida Youth Centre pitch, built in 2020 to serve more than two hundred children from the nearby Aida refugee camp, was declared illegal for lacking permits and for its proximity to Israel’s security barrier. A demolition order issued late last year sparked a widespread international campaign, including a petition signed by more than half a million people and appeals from figures within global football. The Israeli military, which still maintains that the pitch poses security concerns, says the postponement is ‘for the time being’. For local families, the issue carries deep emotional weight, symbolising dignity, hope, and normal childhood amid overcrowding and restriction. While the immediate threat has eased, the community fears the order could return once attention fades, and has vowed to keep campaigning.