The astroturf football pitch at Aida refugee camp, used by over 500 children, has been served a demolition notice by Israeli authorities who say it is unauthorised. Camp leaders say the field was built legally in 2021 on land leased from the Armenian Church and call it the camp's only open space and a "lifeline" for youth development. Residents warn that demolition would erase rare sporting opportunities amid growing movement restrictions and cramped living conditions for the camp's roughly 7,000 inhabitants.
Aida Refugee Camp’s 'Lifeline' Football Pitch Faces Israeli Demolition Order
Palestinian youths train at the Aida Refugee Camp's football pitch, next to the separation wall outside Bethlehem, under threat of demolition by Israeli authorities (JOHN WESSELS)(JOHN WESSELS/AFP/AFP)
Early this month, children at Aida refugee camp near Bethlehem found a demolition notice pinned to the gate of their community football pitch — an astroturf field used by more than 500 youngsters and flanked by an eight-metre concrete barrier separating the camp from Israel.
What Happened
The notice, shown to AFP, came from COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry body that administers Palestinian civilian affairs in the West Bank, which said the pitch was unauthorised. Camp sports director Muhannad Abu Srour and local leaders say the field was built in 2021 on land leased from the Armenian Church and legally managed by the camp's popular committee.
Voices From the Camp
"We were shocked to discover that it was a decision to demolish Aida camp's football field," said Muhannad Abu Srour, who runs sports programs at Aida Youth Centre. "The football field is the only open space we have. If the field is taken away, the children's dream is taken away."
Players and coaches describe the pitch as a "lifeline." Eighteen-year-old Abdallah al-Ansurur, who trains as a goalkeeper and aspires to join the Palestinian national team, said the field gave him his first real opportunity to train. Coach Mahmud Jandia, supervising a practice of dozens of boys aged five to ten, said: "Yes, the wall is there — it feels like a prison — but the most important thing is that the field remains and the children keep playing."
Legal And Practical Context
Anton Salman, who was mayor of Bethlehem when the pitch was built in 2021, told AFP the municipality leased the plot from the Armenian Church and authorised the popular committee to manage the site for local residents. Saeed al-Azzeh, head of the popular committee, called the pitch "the only breathing space" in a camp where more than 7,000 people live on a small footprint and streets and alleys are tightly packed.
Israel has controlled the West Bank since 1967 and regularly cites lack of permits when demolishing Palestinian structures. Residents and local officials dispute the demolition order in this case, arguing the construction followed local procedures.
Wider Impact
Beyond the immediate loss of a play area, the demolition would remove a rare outlet for youth development. Abu Srour highlighted that teams from the camp have been able to travel abroad to compete — often easier than travelling within the West Bank because checkpoints and movement restrictions have multiplied since the outbreak of the Gaza war. He recounted a recent trip to Ramallah, 20 kilometres away as the crow flies, that took six hours instead of the roughly one hour it used to take.
Restricted mobility also affects training opportunities: Waseem Abu Sal, the first Palestinian Olympic boxer, said athletes frequently lack suitable opponents at home because travel between towns is so difficult. Local leaders warn that demolishing the pitch would not only remove a playing field but would also demolish hopes for many young people seeking a better future.
Current Status: A demolition notice has been issued; local officials and camp leaders contest the claim that the pitch was unauthorised and say they will challenge the order.
