Israeli Forces Seal Off Bedouin Village of Khan al-Ahmar

Israeli forces sealed off the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar in the occupied West Bank Friday. Bulldozers closed off all access roads to the village that is facing imminent demolition after Israel's Supreme Court paved the way for it to be demolished.

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Earlier this week Israeli occupation demolished a protest camp, Wadi al-Ahmar set up by activists between the Bedouin village and the illegal Israeli settlement Kfar Adumim to resist the second forcible displacement of members of the Jahalin tribe who inhabit Khan al-Ahmar. 

Bedouins from other West Bank areas that face encroachment, harassment, and displacement by Israel's illegal settlements and international activists have shown their solidarity with Khan al-Ahmar. On Friday, they attempted to stop Israeli forces from sealing off the village. 

As Israeli forces continued razing the land and blocking roads clashes erupted. Several residents and protesters were injured and at least four were detained, including three Palestinians and Frank Romano, a French-U.S. law professor. 

According to reports, Romano, who is still in Israeli custody, has launched a hunger strike to protest Israel's plans to demolish the Bedouin village that lies just East of Jerusalem, between the illegal settlements of Ma'ale Adumim and Kfar Adumim. 

According to the villagers and Israeli anti-occupation groups, the demolition seeks to create territorial continuity between these two settlements and connect it with the occupied city of Jerusalem, which Israel claims as its capital despite international law.

Human rights groups have warned that the demolition will constitute a war crime because International Humanitarian Law prohibits “collective or individual forcible transfers of population from and within the occupied territory.”

Earlier this week, the Secretary-General of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) Saeb Erekat said they filed a case with the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding the planned demolition.

"We hope that an official judicial investigation can be opened as soon as possible," Erekat said

Around 100 Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists remain in Khan al-Ahmar accompanying its residents and awaiting the arrival of occupation forces.