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Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Israel's government plans to annex Palestinian territory in the West Bank, including Khan al-Ahmar, as part of the controversial E1 project.
- This plan aims to expand Jerusalem and create a settlement belt, which Palestinians argue will prevent the formation of a contiguous Palestinian state.
- Residents of Khan al-Ahmar face increased demolition threats and displacement, with local leaders expressing heightened concern following recent events since Oct. 7.
The Bedouin community of Khan al-Ahmar, situated in the West Bank, finds itself at the center of a heightened conflict over land and future statehood. Israel's far-right government intends to annex the area, including Khan al-Ahmar and the nearby settlement of Maale Adumim, under the expansive E1 project. This initiative, according to Palestinian perspectives, is designed to enlarge Jerusalem and establish a settlement corridor that would bisect the West Bank.
The situation this time is completely different and very dangerous.
Such a move, critics argue, would solidify Israeli settler presence, isolate Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank, and effectively shatter any possibility of a contiguous Palestinian state. For the residents of Khan al-Ahmar, who have long endured demolition orders and legal battles, the current situation feels more precarious than ever. Their struggle for land and survival is amplified by Israel's intensified actions in the West Bank since October 7.
In 2018, all Palestinians were with us. The government and civil society were sleeping here. I had 5,000 people with me. International pressure was strongly present, and our cause was at the top of the Middle East agenda. Today, the situation is different.
Eid al-Jahalin, known as Abu Khamis and head of the Bedouin council, conveys a message of grave concern. He highlights that demolishing their modest community would pave the way for the "Greater Jerusalem" plan, a move he deems extremely dangerous. Abu Khamis contrasts the current situation with 2018, when widespread Palestinian support and international pressure bolstered their resistance. Now, he observes a more aggressive Israeli stance and a fragmented Palestinian response, with "a thousand Khan al-Ahmars" facing similar threats across the West Bank.
After Oct. 7, Israel became more aggressive, and the West Bank has been turned into a state of settlers. This is a state war against us, not a problem caused by individuals. In the West Bank, we now have a thousand Khan al-Ahmars: killing, displacement and fire consuming every part of the West Bank, while the Palestinian effort is scattered.
Originally published by Asharq Al-Awsat. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.