Situation of Palestinian villages of Khan al-Ahmar and Abu Nuwar (4 July 2018)

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France condemns the Israeli army’s demolition this morning of several dwellings in the Palestinian village of Abu Nuwar (West Bank).

It again expresses its deep concern about the situation of the Palestinian village of Khan al-Ahmar (West Bank), which the Israeli authorities have also issued orders to demolish ; these could be carried out imminently.

The result of these measures and the uncertainty they create is to make the already very precarious living conditions of the inhabitants of Abu Nuwar and Khan al-Ahmar more difficult. The villages are also located in an area which is essential for the continuity of a future Palestinian state and thus the viability of the two-state solution, which has been undermined today by the Israeli authorities’ decisions.

The demolition of infrastructure and dwellings in the West Bank goes against international humanitarian law, especially the Fourth Geneva Convention, in that it involves the evacuation and forcible transfer of people.

In this context, France urges the Israeli authorities not to carry out the orders to demolish the West Bank’s Bedouin settlements, and to refrain from any measures aimed at extending [Israeli] settlements in the Occupied Territories or making them permanent, in contravention of international law, as United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 reaffirms. France, in conjunction with its European partners, will continue to keep a close eye on the issue.