Smotrich Signs Order for Immediate Evacuation of Khan al-Ahmar Gathering East of Jerusalem

The Finance Minister in the Israeli occupation government, Bezalel Smotrich, announced today, Tuesday, that he has officially signed an order for the immediate evacuation of the Bedouin gathering of 'Khan al-Ahmar' located east of occupied Jerusalem. Sources reported that Smotrich considered this decision an integral part of his ministerial powers, issuing direct threats to those he described as 'enemies' that this step is merely a prelude to broader measures in the West Bank.

In statements reported by Hebrew media, the far-right minister boasted about his government's achievements in settlement expansion, pointing to the establishment of more than 100 new settlements and 160 agricultural outposts during the past period. Smotrich claimed that these moves aim to preserve more than a million dunams of what he described as 'state lands,' emphasizing that work is underway to pave roads and regulate construction to make the settlement project an irreversible reality.

Economically, Smotrich claimed success in maintaining the stability of the Israeli economy despite fighting a 'multi-front war' which he described as unprecedented since 1948. These statements come at a time when the settlement offensive on Palestinian lands is intensifying, as the occupation seeks to impose full control over areas classified as 'C' and empty them of their original inhabitants through demolition orders and forced evictions.

Khan al-Ahmar village is a strategic Bedouin gathering located on the highway connecting Jerusalem and Jericho. The village has been struggling since 2009 to remain in the face of repeated Israeli attempts at displacement. The occupation justifies demolition decisions by the absence of legal building permits, a pretext it systematically uses to reject any planning schemes for Palestinians in these vital areas.

For its part, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) quickly condemned this decision, describing it as a 'new crime' committed by the fascist Zionist government against the Palestinian people in Jerusalem and the West Bank. The movement affirmed in a press statement that this dangerous development falls within the occupation's plans aimed at geographically dividing the West Bank and isolating occupied Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings to assert full control over it.

1. The movement called on the international community and the United Nations to take urgent action and break the silence regarding these blatant violations of international laws. It stressed the importance of holding occupation leaders accountable for their disregard for UN resolutions, warning that the continuation of these policies will lead to further escalation in the region given the Palestinian people's insistence on holding onto their land and historical rights.

It is worth noting that the United Nations had previously issued strong warnings, considering that any forced evacuation of Khan al-Ahmar residents could amount to a 'war crime.' Bedouin communities in that area are subjected to daily attacks by extremist settlers with direct protection from occupation forces, with the aim of pushing residents to voluntary departure and expanding settlements surrounding Jerusalem.

This is just the beginning; we have established more than 100 new settlements and 160 agricultural outposts that make the settlement project irreversible.