The Truth About 'The Occupation' and 'The Settlements'

Ted Belman
American Thinker
29 August '10

The pro-Palestinian propaganda machine has succeeded in stigmatizing the Israeli occupation and the settlements. Time and again we hear about the "brutal occupation" and the "illegal settlements." We rarely hear the truth in opposition to these lies.

Occupation

Israel is accused of occupying the West Bank and Gaza. In fact these territories are described as "The occupied Palestinian territories." Not only are they not occupied in a legal sense, but also they are not "Palestinian" lands in a sovereign sense.

The Fourth Geneva Convention (FGC) is a treaty among signatory states that are called High Contracting Parties (HCP). It regulates the obligations of one HCP who occupies the land of another HCP. It defines the terms "Occupying Power" and "Occupied State." Thus this convention does not apply to the territories because they were not the land of any HCP. They have never been the land of an HCP. Prior to 1967, Jordon was in occupation of these territories, just as Israel is currently in occupation. Jordanian sovereignty over these lands was never recognized and ultimately Jordan relinquished any claims over these lands. The FGC was never applied when Jordan occupied the land and it shouldn't be applied now that Israel does.

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