In Front of Teachers: Dozens of Students Vandalized Farmland in a Palestinian Village
Dozens of children arrived in a Palestinian village on a school trip and vandalized farmland. Near Tzur Hadassah, beyond the Green Line, lies the village of Wadi Fukin, which has recently suffered harassment and damage to agricultural plots. Last week, as part of a school outing, dozens of children aged 10 to 12 arrived there by bus and, in front of the teachers, damaged fruit and vegetable fields, sawed off olive tree branches and harmed irrigation equipment. "There were almost 80 children there. This was not a child who accidentally stepped on something, this was deliberate damage," said Prof. Chaim Weiss, a resident of Tzur Hadassah.
According to him, "It has become institutionalized, a school trip that goes down to a Palestinian village and vandalizes everything in sight, and the teachers do not prevent it." Prof. Weiss said four farmers were affected, and three of them filed complaints, but according to him, "The police know all the details, and the investigations are not progressing. We have filed countless complaints in the past, but in most cases nothing comes of it."
Tomer Moskovitz, a resident of Alon Shvut in Gush Etzion who serves as head of the Tzur Hadassah local council, said that "before October 7, the cleaning and maintenance workers in Tzur Hadassah came from the village, and very good relationships were formed between the residents." He said that last week one resident contacted him and told him that "residents said Jews came and carried out a pogrom in the village." Moskovitz asked them to file a police complaint, but the villagers were less willing and claimed they are not always heard or taken seriously. "I told them I would go with them and make sure they are received in the best possible way, and last Sunday I went with them to the Etzion police station and asked them to handle it," he said. "As a resident of Alon Shvut, what bothers me is harm to innocent people, and since this is happening to my neighbors, I felt the need to help them."
Prof. Weiss added that "Wadi Fukin is a quiet village, part of it is on the Green Line and part of it is beyond it. Its residents are farmers dealing with complex problems, including unemployment." According to him, the village lies on the hiking route between Gush Etzion and Beitar Illit. "We have a group of Tzur Hadassah residents who accompany the residents of Wadi Fukin and help them deal with friction incidents and harm to the village residents. With the help of the courts, we were able to reduce the friction in some cases. Recently they have been suffering various acts of harassment that damage their agricultural crops and property."
The Israel Police said in response: "Immediately upon receiving the complaint, a police investigation was opened and actions were taken accordingly. In light of the evidentiary foundation that was gathered, it was decided to close the case. If additional information is received that could advance the investigation, it will be reopened."
