Israel/Palestinian Terr.: Khan Al-Ahmar demolition postponed until further notice /update 3

Event

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the postponement on Sunday, October 21, of the demolition of the Bedouin village of Khan Al-Ahmar (West Bank) until further notice. Military forces have been deployed to the village since October 10. Initially scheduled for October 1, the demolition has been widely denounced; Palestinian and foreign protesters gathered in the village in recent weeks. The Israeli government has announced it would consider potential negotiations.

Context

On September 5, Israel's Supreme Court authorized the demolition of Khan Al-Ahmar and the eviction of the village's residents after locals failed to secure the necessary permits to keep the village intact. Activists claim that it was 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.