The Polish Medical Mission has warned that Israeli plans to demolish the Khan al-Ahmar village on the West Bank threaten to destroy years of medical and social aid funded by Polish taxpayers.
Poland Protests Proposed Demolition
The Polish Medical Mission (PMM) reported that Israeli authorities intend to demolish the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar, where the organization provides essential social and medical services. These efforts are co-financed by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Małgorzata Olasińska-Chart of the PMM stated that their mobile clinic provides care to residents who are otherwise cut off from medical assistance. She noted that the demolition would render the residents homeless and negate three years of work funded by Polish taxpayers.
Foreign Ministry Response
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Maciej Wewiór stated that Poland remains firmly opposed to plans for new Jewish settlements in the E1 area, which includes Khan al-Ahmar. He emphasized that the Israeli government’s decisions contradict international law.
The Ministry maintains its support for a two-state solution based on 1967 borders. Poland is currently in communication with other nations to coordinate a joint response to the announced demolition.
Historical Context and Displacement
Khan al-Ahmar is home to approximately 150–200 Palestinian Bedouins. Originally from the Negev Desert, the community was relocated to the West Bank in the 1950s. The village sits on land expropriated by Israeli authorities in 1975 for settlement construction.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on May 19 that he would sign an order for the immediate evacuation of the village. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has condemned the plan, stating that forced displacement in occupied territories constitutes a war crime.
