Israel/Palestinian Terr.: Military deployed to Khan Al-Ahmar (West Bank) October 10 /update 2

Event

Israel began deploying military forces to the Palestinian village of Khan Al-Ahmar (West Bank) on Wednesday, October 10, ostensibly to take part in the village's demolition, though no specific date for the demolition is known as of yet. Palestinian and foreign protesters have been gathered in the village in recent weeks to denounce the demolition, initially scheduled for October 1. Clashes between Israeli forces and protesters 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. Some Palestinian activists claim that it is prohibitively difficult to obtain the permits necessary to avoid the demolition 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.