Khan al-Ahmar Evacuation Promise Unfulfilled After 103 Days

More than 100 days have passed since Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich signed an order to demolish the Bedouin outpost of Khan al-Ahmar, located on Highway 1 between Jerusalem and Ma'ale Adumim. Smotrich issued the order in January, calling an international arrest warrant against him from the International Criminal Court in The Hague a "declaration of war" and accusing the Palestinian Authority of orchestrating it. He vowed to take action, stating, "From today, any economic or other target I can affect within my authority will be attacked. Not talk and gimmicks, actions." He promised the demolition order was "just the beginning."

However, no action has been taken since Smotrich's dramatic press conference. The outpost has become a symbol of unfulfilled promises from right-wing Israeli politicians. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously pledged to evacuate Khan al-Ahmar "within a few weeks," a promise made eight years ago, yet the Palestinian settlement has continued to grow. Smotrich himself, as chairman of the Regavim movement, had previously petitioned the High Court of Justice to evacuate the site.

Past governments, including the one formed in 2021 by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, also failed to fulfill evacuation pledges. Even after the establishment of the current Netanyahu government in 2022, which includes Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, the state informed the High Court that it would not evacuate the outpost, following numerous delays. The issue had largely faded from public attention until Smotrich revived it in January. Smotrich's office declined to comment on the lack of progress, having previously stated that the evacuation was being handled quietly to avoid hindering efforts.