Israel's top court on Wednesday upheld an order to raze a Palestinian Bedouin village in the occupied West Bank, clearing the way for the demolition to go ahead despite international pressure.
Khan al-Ahmar is located in a key location outside of Jerusalem and international powers say the move will enable Israeli settlement expansion that would cut the West Bank in two, making the prospects of an independent Palestinian state even dimmer.
The ruling means that in seven days authorities will be allowed to raze the village, which Israel says was built illegally.
"We reject the petitions" against the directive to demolish Khan al-Ahmar, the supreme court panel said in its decision, adding that a temporary order preventing the razing of the village during court hearings "will be cancelled in seven days from today".
It will now be down to the authorities to decide when to carry out the demolition after the restriction order ends.
The United Nations, European Union and rights groups have opposed the razing of the village, which consists mainly of makeshift structures of tin and wood.
"Demolitions undermine prospect for two state solution and are against international law," UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov said on Twitter Wednesday, condemning the demolition plans. The Palestinian government said the demolition plans amounted to "ethnic cleansing".
In May, Israel's Supreme Court rejected a final appeal against its demolition after nine years of hearings before various tribunals.
The court said Khan al-Ahmar residents had rejected proposals by the state regarding the site of their relocation, and expressed hope "the dialogue" would continue.
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