OUR STORY
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The Village of Wadi Fukin lies West of Bethlehem and is an old farming community. The 7 working wells allow it to farm different kinds of fruits and vegetables all year round.
The water from the spring is divided among the families and collected into the waterreservoirs in the valley and used for irrigation. |
Wadi Fukin also lies on top of the Green Line, which has led to the loss 70-75% % of its land to Israel.
Because of recurrent violent attacks, the villagers fled many times to the safety of the hills and caves or to friends and relatives neighboring villages.
But after almost all the houses in the village were completely destroyed they left to the refugee camp of Dheisheh in Bethlehem. But they always continued to farm their lands, often at night, even when they literally risked their lives in doing so.
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In the early `70 the villagers were able to return and rebuild their houses. The return of the villagers to their village is proof of the importance of the Right to Return for the younger generations to reconnect with the land and Palestinian farming traditions.
The village suffered from the Nakba, the ethnic cleansing of Palestine, but now it is also in danger because of Israel`s policies of Apartheid and settlement expansion. |
Over the years different plots of land were confiscated and villagers were only allowed to build in the central part of the village. But in the summer of 2014 almost half of the remaining lands of the village were confiscated for future expansion of the Israeli settlements which are illegal under international law. |
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The community tries to battle the unjust confiscation by different means.
By filing an appeal in court but at the same time popular resistance was organized which was immediately attacked with large amounts of tear gas, pepper spray and bullets. |
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Families were avoiding the valley because of regular settlers roaming there and the lack of recreational opportunities for the children.
So therefor a playground was created around one of the natural springs for recreation but also for children to stay connected with the agricultural part of the valley. But even these simple constructions are endangered and could be demolished at any time |
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