Israeli minister announces plan to evict population of West Bank village

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

Source: JHRC

Israel's far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced plans yesterday to evacuate the entire population of a village in the West Bank, near the site of the Inn of the Good Samaritan, in retaliation he said, to the news that International Criminal Court's prosecutor was seeking a warrant for his arrest.

The Jerusalem Human Rights Consortium (JHRC) expressed grave concern over "the escalating and imminent threat facing the Palestinian community of Khan al-Ahmar."

In a statement JHRC said: "This dangerous development comes amid increasing international scrutiny of Israeli officials responsible for policies and practices linked to settlement expansion, annexation, and the forcible transfer of Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). The timing of this announcement further underscores the extent to which Israeli occupying authorities continue to pursue unlawful policies despite growing international scrutiny and accountability efforts.

"Khan al-Ahmar has for years symbolised the broader coercive environment imposed on Palestinian communities in Area C, where discriminatory planning and zoning policies make it virtually impossible for Palestinians to obtain building permits while facilitating the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements. These practices are not administrative or planning measures; they are part of a systematic policy aimed at altering the demographic composition of the occupied Palestinian territory and consolidating Israeli control over strategic areas, particularly in and around the E1 corridor.

"In his official correspondence, Minister Smotrich instructed Israeli authorities, including the Planning and Building Committee in the so-called "Judea and Samaria" area, to advance the implementation of demolition orders and exhaust all available procedures to carry out the demolitions without delay.

"Such directives constitute a direct threat of forcible transfer against the residents of Khan al-Ahmar and further entrench a coercive environment intended to displace Palestinians from their land.

"The Jerusalem Human Rights Consortium stresses that the forcible transfer of protected persons within occupied territory is strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention. Article 49 explicitly prohibits the forcible transfer or deportation of protected persons from occupied territory, regardless of the motive. The transfer of an occupying power's civilian population into occupied territory, through settlement expansion and related policies, is likewise prohibited and constitutes a serious violation of international law.

"The threatened demolition of Khan al-Ahmar forms part of a broader pattern of discriminatory zoning and planning regimes, home demolitions, forced evictions, settlement expansion, land appropriation, and other coercive measures that collectively create an unbearable environment.

"According to OCHA oPt: There are five communities in Khal al-Ahmar, including 159 households- 759 Palestinians, including 185 women and 387 children.violate the rights of Palestinian communities, including their rights to adequate housing, to private life, and to non-discrimination. These systematic, discriminatory policies contribute to de-development, fragmentation of Palestinian presence in Area C, and ongoing efforts to facilitate de facto annexation.

"The JHRC warns that any attempt to forcibly transfer Khan al-Ahmar residents would constitute a grave breach of international law and could amount to an international crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

"The international community, including third states, the European Union, the United Nations, and relevant international accountability mechanisms, must take urgent and concrete action to prevent the demolition of Khan al-Ahmar and ensure protection for its residents. Silence and inaction in the face of repeated threats and unlawful measures only contribute to impunity and the continued erosion of the international legal order."

About the JHRC

The Jerusalem Human Rights Consortium (JHRC), led by Society of Saint Yves and co-implemented by the Jerusalem Legal Aid Centre (JLAC), Women's Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC), Arab Centre for Alternative Planning (ACAP), and the EuroMed Rights network, works collectively to challenge systemic injustices and entrenched discrimination within the Israeli legal and planning regime affecting Palestinians in Jerusalem and the occupied Palestinian territory. The consortium seeks to promote accountability, uphold international law, protect civic space, and advance the rights of Palestinians in accordance with international human rights and humanitarian law.