Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has announced the planned removal of the illegal Bedouin encampment of Khan Al-Ahmar, located in the Maale Adumim area, will be placed on hold indefinitely, apparently in response to a request from Germany.

Netanyahu clarified that the encampment will be razed, and his delay was not open-ended.

“Khan al-Ahmar will be evacuated, it’s a court ruling, that’s our policy and it will be done,” he said. “I have no intention of postponing this until further notice, contrary to reports, but rather for a short, defined period of time.”

The office of Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman released a message stating the decision to place the removal of the illegal Bedouin community on hold was made in direct contradiction to the position of the ministry and the minister.

Bayit Yehudi MK Moti Yogev decried the announcement and what he called “continued government delays” in executing the demolition of the illegal community. Party colleague MK Betzalel Smotrich concurred, stating “I was told this is a right-wing government. It angers me as well as being very disturbing.” He announced that on Monday, at 5:00PM, together with activists from the Regavim NGO, they will visit the area, calling on members of the coalition to join them rather than voting in Knesset, stating “we will tour the area and together, we will try to grow a spine”.

Opponents to the decision announced by Mr. Netanyahu remind him that when it came to Migron, Amona, Netiv HaAvot, and the Ulpana community of Beit El, the court’s instructions were carried out to the letter of the law, demanding the same here pertaining to the Bedouin encampment, which is home to about 200 members of that community.

The illegal outpost was constructed on land belonging to the Jewish community of Kfar Adumim. It has been in existence since the 1990s. Courts ruled the encampment may be destroyed, but the High Court of Justice overruled the lower court, freezing the demolition pending an appeal from residents. That appear was heard last month and the High Court has given the green light for the removal of the illegal Bedouin community.

Just last week, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague announced the removal of the illegal encampment by Israel may be a war crime.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)