Member of the European Parliament (EP) Neoklis Sylikiotis on Thursday said that Israel’s demolition of Khan al-Ahmar and displacement of its residents is a grave violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention that amounts to war crime.
EP office in Jerusalem said in a press statement on Thursday that Khan al-Ahmar is one of 46 Bedouin communities threatened with displacement in favor of illegal settlement expansion projects.
Sylikiotis who was among a European delegation that visited Khan al-Ahmar on Wednesday expressed his sincere solidarity with the Palestinian people and their struggle for freedom justice and equality and affirmed that he supports Palestinians’ right to self-determination.
Sylikiotis vowed that the EP will work steadfastly to protect Khan al-Ahmar stressing that the forcible transfer of people under occupation is serious violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention amounting to war crime.
He continued to say that demolition orders issued by the Israeli authorities have one goal: expanding settlements and dividing the West Bank which is deemed illegal under UN Security Council Resolution 2334.
EP last week passed a resolution opposing Israel’s Supreme Court’s decision in favor of the demolition of Khan al-Ahmar village.
Israel’s Supreme Court has rejected multiple petitions filed the residents of Khan al-Ahmar against the demolition order.
