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May warns of “deep concerns” over Khan al-Ahmar

[ssba]

Prime Minister Theresa May has called on the Israeli Government not to demolish the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar in the West Bank because it would be a “major blow for the prospects of a two state solution”.

The issue of Khan al-Ahmar was raised by Scottish MP Alistair Carmichael during yesterday’s Prime Minister’s Questions. It came a day after bulldozers entered the area, prompting May to say: “I once again call on the Israeli government not to go ahead with the demolition of the village, including its school, and displacing its residents.”

She also confirmed that Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt had met the Israeli ambassador to discuss the issue on 11 October and to reiterate the UK’s “deep concerns” about plans to demolish the structures in the village, including the school, which was part-funded by British taxpayers.

The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda warned yesterday that the demolition of the village could constitute a war crime. She said: “Evacuation by force now appears imminent. Extensive destruction of property without military necessity and population transfers in an occupied territory constitute war crimes under the Rome Statute. I continue to keep a close eye on the developments on the ground and will not hesitate to take any appropriate action.”

The Palestinian Authority (PA) became a member of the ICC in April 2015, giving the court jurisdiction over crimes committed in the territory since 13 June 2014. The ICC has been conducting a preliminary inquiry since 2015 in the Palestinian territories, including Israel’s settlement policy and crimes allegedly committed by both sides in the 2014 Gaza conflict. In May 2018, the Palestinian Authority called on the ICC to open an immediate investigation into Israel’s actions in the Palestinian territories.

In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said: “The purported Palestinian referral is legally invalid, and the ICC lacks jurisdiction over the Israeli-Palestinian issue, since Israel is not a member of the Court and because the Palestinian Authority is not a state. Israel expects the ICC and its Prosecutor not to yield to Palestinian pressure, and stand firm against continued Palestinian efforts to politicise the Court and to derail it from its mandate.”

Israeli officials could face charges if they are suspected of committing crimes on Palestinian territories as the ICC has accepted the PA as a member. Khan al-Ahmar is located in Area C of the West Bank, adjacent to the Route 1 Highway which connects Jerusalem to the Dead Sea. Citing reasons of health and safety, Israel plans to move the families five miles away. The Israeli Government argues that its actions are in line with Regulation 43 of the 1907 Hague Convention, which gives the Military Commander responsibility to uphold the law, safeguard public order and safety and enforcement of planning and zoning laws.