Azzun - Bulldozers destroy public park

The village of Azzun is located two kilometers to the east of the Green Line and is about 11 kilometers away from Qalqilia's southeastern side.

The Israeli army, using a bulldozer,protected by a force of Israeli soldiers,destroyed a public park, including a children's playground and swimming pool, on the grounds that it had been built without permission of the Israeli authorities in the occupied territory.

Construction work on the park (costing USD$120,000 of which USD£80,000 came from USAID) had begun in November last year and was almost completed, the mayor of Azzun, Ihssan Abdellatif, told AFP.
Anna-Maija Litvak,spokeswoman for USAID said "I can confirm that the park that was destroyed today was funded by USAID," told AFP on Wednesday.

No immediate reaction was available from the Israeli army which regularly demolishes buildings that it says have been constructed without authorisation.

The army also destroyed two other houses built "without permission" in two other villages in the Qalqilya area on Wednesday, according to Palestinian security sources.

If you want to read of the damage done to the village of Azzun over the years go to this site

1. In 1987, about 700 dunums of the village's land were expropriated and used by the Israeli authorities to build two settlements: Oranit settlement, located northwest of Azzun village and Sha'are Tikva settlement located northeast of the village.

2. The erection of the Israeli Segregation Wall has led to the plowing of more than 700 dunums of agricultural lands including 50 dunums were used for plastic houses in addition to 650 dunums cultivated with more than 2100 olive trees. Such trees were uprooted and later transported to Israel for replantation. Moreover, the establishment of the Wall led to the confiscation of a water well (called Abu Hijla well) with a capacity of 150,000 water cubes meter per month. Barbed wires surround the well from all directions and no one is allowed to approach it.

3. The iron gate which is considered the only access to and from Azzun village is opened on stages during the day. Residents of Azzun are only allowed to enter the village through the gate between 6 AM and 4 PM.

4. It has been the case that the Israeli soldiers would seal the gate for days in a row under the pretext of ''security'' which, in turn, would lead to the disruption of the educational process for children travelling to school.

Go here as well for more information and map (Stop the Wall)

The picture shows the only entrance to the village with Gurad tower, Iron gates etc.,