The Israeli occupation authorities began the practical translation of a decision to demolish the houses in the village of Khan Al-Ahmar.
Israel on Sunday ordered residents to voluntarily demolish their constructions by October 1 or Israeli authorities would enforce the demolition orders.
The occupation forces stormed Khan Al-Ahmar area in a display of force. They surrounded Al-Tadamon tent and handed over the official orders, which stated that demolitions must include all buildings located inside the area. They also prevented Palestinian citizens and Israeli Jewish and foreign activists from reaching the Bedouin village by establishing checkpoints.
In response, a sit-in organized by the residents continued for the 19th consecutive day, while the national and Islamic forces in Ramallah and Al-Bireh called for action against the implementation of the Israeli plan to demolish the residential area.
In a new statement, the forces demanded an intensification of daily, round-the-clock and overnight presence in the protest tent to counter any attempt to evacuate Khan Al-Ahmar by force.
Israel’s Supreme Court has rejected petitions to prevent the move, siding with the authorities which say the village was built without the required permits. Palestinians say such documents are impossible to obtain.
Residents of Khan al-Ahmar arrived from the Negev desert in 1953. Since then, they lived in conditions that lacked the most basic necessities, until Israel decided to expel them ten years ago.
Bedouins in the area have been engaging in a peaceful confrontation since 2009 against demolition orders. However, the Israeli High Court of Justice rejected their petitions at the end of May and supported the demolition, giving the state the freedom to choose the timing of execution.
Around 200 Palestinians, 53 percent of whom are children and 95 percent registered with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), live in the village located in the east of Jerusalem. Some 170 pupils from nearby areas benefit from the school located in the village.
