Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli forces over West Bank Bedouin village demolition

Clashes have broken out between Israeli military forces and a group of Palestinian protesters over the demolition of a Bedouin village in the occupied West Bank as the Tel Aviv regime presses ahead with its land expropriation policies in the occupied territories irrespective of great international outcry.

On Friday, dozens of protesters and residents of Khan al-Ahmar village came together to express their deep resentment over the Israeli regime’s move.

Video footage broadcast by a number of Palestinian news agencies shows Israeli troops scuffling with the protesters and even in some cases pushing them aggressively away.

In one scene, Israeli forces are seen violently dragging a Palestinian man on the ground.

Last week, the Israeli High Court approved plans for the demolition of Khan al-Ahmar village. It could be razed within the coming days.

Israeli officials allege that Palestinian structures there have been built without the relevant building permits and pose a threat to residents because of their proximity to a highway.

Critics, on the other hand, maintain that building permits are nearly impossible to obtain for Palestinians in Israeli-controlled areas of the West Bank and the demolition is meant to clear the way for new settlements.

EU: Israel must compensate for Khan al-Ahmar demolition

Meanwhile, the European Parliament has passed a resolution, warning that Israel's decision to demolish Khan al-Ahmar village would constitute a grave violation of international law and threaten peace efforts with the Palestinians.

The institution, in a 320 to 277 vote on Thursday, passed a resolution against Israel that called for monetary compensation for financial losses should Khan al-Ahmar be demolished.

The resolution stated that "the status quo in this area is of fundamental importance for the viability of the two-state solution and for the establishment of a contiguous and viable Palestinian state in the future."

The EU also called upon Israel to compensate it for the infrastructure it had built in the village. "Ten EU member states are supporting humanitarian programs in Khan al-Ahmar, including the construction of a primary school, and an estimated 315,000 Euros worth of EU-funded humanitarian assistance is now at risk," it added.

“Should the demolition and eviction of Khan al-Ahmar take place, the EU's response must be commensurate with the seriousness of this development and consistent with its long-standing support to the community of Khan al-Ahmar.

“Israel bears full responsibility for providing the necessary services, including education, healthcare and welfare, for the people living under its occupation, in line with the Fourth Geneva Convention,” the resolution pointed out.

The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority has submitted a new complaint over the Israeli "war crime" against Khan al-Ahmar village at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Saeb Erekat, Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), said on September 11 that the dossier “included a focus on the war crimes facing Khan al-Ahmar, specifically the crimes of forcible displacement, ethnic cleansing and the destruction of civilian property.”

He added that the PLO had also asked ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to expedite a preliminary probe into other Israeli war crimes.

“We hope that an official judicial investigation can be opened as soon as possible,” Erekat noted.

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