About Khan al-Ahmar
Though Palestinians lived in the Khan al-Ahmar area prior to the establishment of the state of Israel, most of its residents moved there after being expelled from the Negev by the Israeli army in the early 1950’s. They leased the land from a Palestinian landowner.
In 1975, the Israeli government declared the area state land and began the construction of the nearby settlement Ma’ale Adumim.
Because it is virtually impossible for Palestinians living in Area C of the West Bank to acquire building permits from the Israeli government, structures in the village are built illegally. Thus, the village has faced many demolition threats over the years and has had infrastructural improvements like solar panels confiscated or destroyed.
On July 4, 2018 bulldozers rolled into Khan al-Ahmar to begin preparations for the demolition of the entire village and the relocation of its residents. The demolition was temporarily delayed as the Supreme Court agreed to hear a last-ditch petition from the villagers. On September 5 the Court made its final ruling, giving the state the green light to transfer the residents and destroy the community in as little as seven days.
International Response
In the past, the State Department has helped to deter the Israeli government from carrying out major demolitions. There’s no evidence the Trump administration has intervened to stop this unprecedented demolition — despite frequent rhetoric about its commitment to peace.
However, this past November, ten US senators, led by Senator Bernie Sanders, sent a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu expressing opposition to the demolition and continued West Bank settlement expansion. Just a few weeks ago, in mid-May, Reps. Jan Schakowsky (IL-9) and John Yarmuth (KY-3) authored another warning to PM Netanyahu, signed by 74 of their colleagues.
In July, J Street delivered 7,000 signatures to the Israeli embassy in Washington calling for the demolition orders to be cancelled.
You can join a national call-in campaign to Israeli diplomatic missions to make your voice heard.