Israel/Palestinian Terr.: Israeli forces raze Khan Al-Ahmar protest site Sep. 13 /update 1

Event

On the morning (local time) of Thursday, September 13, Israeli security forces razed shacks erected by Palestinian demonstrators protesting the planned demolition of Khan Al-Ahmar, a Bedouin village in the West Bank. Israeli authorities reportedly plan to demolish the village and move its approximately 180 residents some 12 km (7 mi) from the area, near Abu Dis. Related protests are possible in the coming days.

Context

On September 5, Israel's Supreme Court authorized the demolition of Khan Al-Ahmar and the eviction of the village's residents, citing a failure to secure the necessary permits. Some Palestinian activists claim that it is prohibitively difficult to obtain such permits and that the move is part of a broader Israeli plan to build a crescent of Jewish settlements in the West Bank which would separate Palestinian areas of the territory from East Jerusalem.

Advice

Individuals present in Israel and the Palestinian Territories are advised to monitor developments to the situation and to avoid all protests and demonstrations due to the persistent risk of violence. Some Western governments advise their citizens against all travel to the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and areas near the Israeli-Lebanese, Israeli-Syrian, and Israeli-Egyptian borders.