Holy Land: Tensions grow in Bedouin village under threat of demolition

Road from Jerusalem to Jericho near Inn of Good Samaritan © Custodia Terrae Sanctae

Tensions are growing in Khan al-Ahmar, the Bedouin village on the site of the Inn of the Good Samaritan, under threat of eviction and demolition by Israeli authorities who want to expand the illegal settlements nearby. Although a final High Court appeal decision will not take place until 1 August, all roads to the village have been blocked with concrete barriers. A mobile medical clinic which usually visits has not been allowed to enter.

One Christian human rights observer in the village reported today that "five policemen have been going from house to house shining lights inside for the past hour, but have now finally left." The observer writes: "Some of the solidarity activists were chanting at them. The police again today (as with yesterday) opened the military gate by the carpark on the opposite side of the highway, so people drove through the open way into the village. The police have now (as yesterday) for no good reason closed and locked the gate again, so people are stuck inside the village with no simple way out at night by car.

"During yesterday's rally, there were over 12 police cars on the other side of the highway, with one of the highest ranking police commanders visible. Worrying that there may be deliberate provocations by the police in the period leading up to the High Court hearing, which could rebound on the village in the High Court. Regavim would love to have its lies substantiated - having previously lied about village violence and stone throwing (a claim in Court that they had to retract), and with 'security concerns' one of the main planks of the State's desire to demolish and forcibly transfer."