BERLIN, June 1, 2018 (WAFA) – Germany expressed on Thursday deep concern regarding reports of the imminent Israeli demolition of the Palestinian community of Khan al-Ahmar east of Jerusalem in order to build Jewish settlement on its ruins and its settlement expansion plans.

A statement by the spokeswoman of the German Foreign Ministry said the German government was deeply concerned about the imminent removal of the Bedouin community of Khan al-Ahmar and the forcible transfer of its residents.

Khan al-Ahmar lies in what is known as the E1 area between Jerusalem and the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim. “If settlements are built here, the prospects for having a contiguous Palestinian state and the possibility of implementing a two-state solution will be greatly diminished,” said the spokeswoman, appealing to the Israeli government to give up plans for the forcible removal of the Palestinian community.

The German official also expressed concern over Israeli plans to build thousands of housing units in illegal settlements in the West Bank.

“The German government is very concerned about the plans approved yesterday for the expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank,” she said.

“For many years, the German government and its partners in the European Union have been working against building more settlements that violate international law and for the development of the Palestinian territories.”

Israel revealed plans to build over 2000 new housing units in a number of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

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