Israeli court freezes demolition of Palestinian Bedouin village Khan al-Ahmar

Israel's High Court of Justice issued a temporary injunction late on Thursday to prevent the state from demolishing the West Bank village of Khan al-Ahmar.

More than 35 people were injured by Israeli police on Wednesday as residents and activists attempted to block Israeli bulldozers from accessing the village.

A day earlier, the UN urged Israeli authorities against the forced eviction of the some 181 people living in the Palestinian village, slamming the move as "discriminatory" and incompatible with international law.

The impending demolition has caused international outrage, with Israel on Thursday preventing European diplomats from visiting the village in solidarity.

Israeli authorities say the village and its school were built illegally and in May, the supreme court rejected a final appeal against its demolition.

But activists say the villagers had little alternative but to build without Israeli construction permits as the documents are near impossible for Palestinians to obtain for that part of the occupied West Bank.

The injunction freezes the demolition of the village and gives the Israeli state until 11 July to respond.

The petition was filed by Alaa Mahajna on behalf of the Bedouin community and says Israel's Civil Administration did not offer any plans to legalise the village or review a plan submitted by villagers.

Khan al-Ahmar is located near several major Israeli settlements and close to a highway leading to the Dead Sea.

Activists are concerned that continued Israeli settlement construction in the area could effectively divide the West Bank in two.

In another Bedouin village in the same region, Abu Nuwar, Israel carried out a series of demolitions on Wednesday on what it described as illegally built structures.

Forcible transfer is considered a violation of the Geneva Conventions.