ZCZC
BFF-15
ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-CONFLICT-WESTBANK
Israel indefinitely postpones demolition of Bedouin West Bank village:
statement
JERUSALEM, Oct 21, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu has frozen plans to demolish a strategically located Bedouin
village in the occupied West Bank that has drawn the world’s attention, his
office said Sunday.
“The intention is to give a chance to the negotiations and the offers we
received from different bodies, including in recent days,” a statement from
Netanyahu’s office said about Khan al-Ahmar.
Israeli authorities say the small village, located east of Jerusalem along
a road leading to the Dead Sea, was built illegally, and had given resident
until the beginning of October to evict themselves and demolish the
structures.
The fate of Khan al-Ahmar has drawn international concern, with European
countries calling on Israel not to move ahead with plans to demolish it.
On Wednesday, the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor warned
that Israel’s planned “evacuation by force” of the village could constitute a
war crime.
The residents have refused to leave on their own, and Israel had been
making the preparations to expel the residents and demolish the village.
The decision to evict the village followed years of legal battles and after
negotiation attempts to agree on an alternative site for relocation failed.
BSS/AFP/GMR/1039 hrs