Israel Gives Palestinian Villagers Deadline to Demolish Their Homes
Israel says village was built without proper permits, but it is almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain proper building permits
Israel has put the residents of a West Bank village on notice that they must demolish their homes by October 1. A statement from the Israeli defense ministry Sunday said "...residents of Khan al-Ahmar received a notice today requiring them to demolish all the structures on the site by October 1st, 2018." It was not immediately clear what would happen if the Palestinians do not dismantle their homes. Eid Abu Khamis, a village spokesman said, "No one will leave. We will have to be expelled by force." Israel says the village was built without proper permits, but it is almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain proper building permits. The Palestinian village is situated near a Israeli settlement, east of Jerusalem. Critics say the demolition plans are likely being put in motion in favor of settlement expansion. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court rejected appeals seeking to stop the demolition. Israel has offered the Palestinians alternative sites for resettlement, but according to the French news agency AFP one site was near a rubbish dump and the other was close to a sewage treatment plant. Several European countries have called on Israel to halt their demolition plans.