Holy Land: Temporary reprieve for Khan Al-Ahmar

Khan Al-Ahmar school remains open - but for how long?

The Bedouin village of Khan Al-Ahmar, near the site of the Inn of the Good Samaritan, threatened with demolition by Israel, was given a temporary reprieve on Sunday, when the Israeli Security Cabinet approved the postponement of the evacuation.

There have been appeals and protests worldwide since the beginning of September, when an Israeli court ruled that the village, with its homes, school and clinic, could be demolished.

The United Nations has called on Israel to allow the Bedouin to remain on the land, saying such demolitions are against international law. The proposed demolition has also been condemned by MPs in the British Parliament and the EU.

While the majority of the Security Cabinet approved the postponement on Sunday, the Jewish Home, an ultra-Orthodox Zionist political party, objected.

In response to a journalist's question regarding Khan al-Ahmar, Prime Minister Netanyahu said later, (in Hebrew): "Khan al-Ahmar will be evacuated. This is the decision of the court. This is our policy and it will be carried out. I have no intention of delaying this until further notice, contrary to what is being reported, but for a short period.

The length of time in which it will be possible to try to evacuate it by agreement will be decided upon by the Security Cabinet. I will convene it today. We will decide; it will be short and I believe it will also be by agreement."

Palestinian, Israeli and foreign peace campaigners have been staying in the village in an effort to stop the army from reaching the houses.

In the past few days, the village has been flooded with waste water twice by the illegal Kfar Adumim settlement nearby. Soldiers and tanks are stationed nearby.