Urgent action: Write to the Foreign Secretary

Please take a minute to contact the Foreign Secretary about Kahn al-Ahmar

On Wednesday 4 July, an Israeli bulldozer began the demolition of the village of Khan al-Ahmar in the occupied West Bank. This latest act of destruction laid bare Israel’s determination to sweep aside Palestinian families and livelihoods in order to make way for Jewish-only settlement expansion. To the east of Khan al-Ahmar lies the settlement of Maale Adumim and, to the west, the settlement of Kfar Adumim.

Despite the temporary injunction against the demolition of Al Khan al Ahmar village issued by the Israeli High Court, after huge international pressure, we would like to ask you to take a minute to write to the Foreign Secretary, to ask him to condemn the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians Bedouin residents of Khan al-Ahmar, and to impose immediate sanctions against illegal Israeli settlements.

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On Wednesday 4 July, an Israeli bulldozer began the demolition of the village of Khan al-Ahmar in the occupied West Bank. This latest act of destruction laid bare Israel’s determination to sweep aside Palestinian families and livelihoods in order to make way for Jewish-only settlement expansion. To the east of Khan al-Ahmar lies the settlement of Maale Adumim and, to the west, the settlement of Kfar Adumim.
The ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians Bedouin residents of Khan al-Ahmar was peacefully resisted by its inhabitants. Video footage from the scene showed Israeli troops violently removing people trying to stop their homes being reduced to rubble. Dozens were injured as a result of the forceful eviction. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, at least four people were hospitalised.
The destruction of Khan al-Ahmar has rightly triggered universal condemnation, and led to a temporary injunction against the demolition of Al Khan al Ahmar village issued by the Israeli High Court. As the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights made clear, its demolition and the illegal forced transfer of its entire community violates international law [1]. The European Union joined the chorus of criticism, saying that the demolition, "together with plans for new settlement construction for Israelis in the same area, exacerbate threats to the viability of the two-state solution and further undermine prospects for a lasting peace” [2].
In the British parliament, MPs from across the House unequivocally condemned Israel’s actions in Khan al-Ahmar as a war crime [3]. They highlighted the fact that despite representations made to the Israeli government by Middle East Minister Alistair Burt, and a letter signed by 100 UK parliamentarians opposing the demolition [4], diplomatic efforts had clearly had no effect. Your junior Minister Alistair Burt acknowledged that the demolition would not only constitute forcible transfer, but pave the way for settlement building in E1. He acknowledged that Israel’s demolition of this community represented a “stepchange” in Israel’s policies of demolition, forcible transfer and settlement expansion,
Israel’s actions show it is willing to heed neither international law nor the appeals of British legislators, suggesting its only concern is the view of the Trump administration. In light of this disregard, British MPs are calling urgently for a fundamental reappraisal of the UK government’s approach and new, concrete steps to hold Israel to account. 
The British government can no longer stand idly by while Israel flagrantly ignores international law and violates Palestinians’ human rights. It is time to take real action.
I therefore urge you to immediately:
1)       Demand that Israeli gov now immediately reverse its decision to complete the demolition regardless of outcome of any supreme court hearing   2)       Put an end to the import of goods and services from illegal Israeli settlements, a move supported by MPs from across the House, and by a wide range of human rights organisations including Amnesty International. 
3)       Ensure that settlements are excluded from all bilateral and multilateral arrangements between the UK and Israel. 
I look forward to hearing your response to this important issue.
[1] <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/newsevents/pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=23161&LangID=E">https://www.ohchr.org/en/newsevents/pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=23161&LangID=E</a>
[2] <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-britain-slams-impending-demolition-of-west-bank-bedouin-village-1.6244135">https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-britain-slams-impending-demolition-of-west-bank-bedouin-village-1.6244135</a>
[3] <a href="https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2018-07-04/debates/B11012E4-6183-4928-8DE6-A1192AB77665/DemolitionOfKhanAl-Ahmar">https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2018-07-04/debates/B11012E4-6183-4928-8DE6-A1192AB77665/DemolitionOfKhanAl-Ahmar</a>
[4] <a href="http://www.caabu.org/news/news/100-uk-parliamentarians-call-israels-ambassador-stop-demolition-and-forcible-transfer-pale">http://www.caabu.org/news/news/100-uk-parliamentarians-call-israels-ambassador-stop-demolition-and-forcible-transfer-pale</a>
[5] <a href="https://www.amnesty.org.uk/discrimination-against-palestinians-israel">https://www.amnesty.org.uk/discrimination-against-palestinians-israel</a>

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Urgent action: Write to the Foreign Secretary