Saturday, March 15, 2025
In coordination with The Arab Group for the Protection of Nature (APN) and the Community Center for Training and Development (CCTD), and with funding from Palitrees, trees were planted near Wadi Fukin, a small Palestinian village with a population of 1,198. The village is located in a valley among the Palestinian mountainous highlands, 13 km southwest of Bethlehem, at an elevation of 600 meters above sea level. It lies directly on the armistice line drawn after 1948. The total area of the village is approximately 12,000 dunams.
Until 1948, the entire area was owned by its current residents or by those who had been displaced as refugees or internally displaced persons. Since the Nakba of 1948, village lands have been subject to confiscation. During the war years, 8,300 dunams were seized, and another 700 dunams were confiscated for the settlement of Beitar Illit, which was built on part of the village lands. The residents have only 2,600 dunams left, and only 250 dunams are available for construction and housing.
The trees were planted on reclaimed agricultural land adjacent to one of the settlements. A fence was erected around the area to protect the trees.
