An Israeli cabinet member has directed the removal of a Palestinian community in the occupied West Bank, stating this decision comes in response to reports suggesting he could face international war crimes prosecution.
The finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has not confirmed whether the International Criminal Court has formally notified him of any warrant, or if he’s acting based on media coverage. The Hague-based court maintains confidentiality regarding warrant requests and proceedings.
The ICC has previously issued arrest warrants for other Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, related to war crimes allegations stemming from Israel’s military operations in Gaza. While Israel rejects the court’s authority, such warrants could complicate international travel for those named.
Smotrich leads a far-right religious political party and has championed an aggressive expansion of Israeli settlements throughout the occupied West Bank. He characterized potential arrest attempts as a “declaration of war.”
“From today, any economic or other target that I have the power to harm within the framework of my powers as Minister of Finance and as a minister in the Ministry Defense will be attacked,” he stated.
The minister identified Khan Al-Ahmar as his initial target – a Bedouin Palestinian community that has been embroiled in a prolonged legal struggle to maintain residence on their land. Smotrich, who supervises West Bank settlement policies, authorized a directive demanding the village’s immediate evacuation.
The legal enforceability of this order and its implementation timeline remain uncertain. Israeli news outlets indicate the directive requires security cabinet approval. Previous efforts to relocate the community’s residents have faced court challenges. Peace Now, an organization that monitors settlement activity, warned that village structures could face demolition within weeks.
“Minister Smotrich seeks to take revenge on The Hague and the international community at the expense of one of the most vulnerable communities, which for years has struggled simply for the right to live on the small piece of land in its possession,” Peace Now stated. The organization described the village’s potential destruction as “part of a broader government plan to take control of the entire central West Bank area” and displace Palestinians from the region.
Khan Al-Ahmar’s legal protections ended in 2018 when Israel’s Supreme Court denied an appeal against its demolition, generating significant international criticism.
Israeli authorities maintain that the settlement, housing approximately 200 Palestinians and a European Union-funded educational facility, was constructed illegally on government property. However, opponents argue that obtaining Israeli construction permits is virtually impossible, and that the village’s demolition and resident displacement serves to facilitate new Jewish settlements.
The community sits within territory where Israel’s government is developing a new settlement complex called E1, a particularly contentious project that Palestinians and advocacy organizations say would strategically prevent the establishment of a viable, connected Palestinian state.
Israel has already announced development plans for this area.
Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway imposed sanctions on Smotrich in June 2025, along with Israel’s hard-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, for “inciting extremist violence” against Palestinians in the West Bank.
