Israeli occupation of the West Bank

TheWest Bank,includingEast Jerusalem,has been undermilitary occupationbyIsraelsince 7 June 1967, when Israeli forces captured the territory, thenruled by Jordan,during theSix-Day War.The status of the West Bank as a militarily occupied territory has been affirmed by theInternational Court of Justiceand,with the exception of East Jerusalem,by theIsraeli Supreme Court.The official view of theIsraeli governmentis that the laws of belligerent occupation do not apply to the territories, which it considers instead "disputed", and it administers the West Bank, excepting East Jerusalem, under theIsraeli Civil Administration,a branch of theIsraeli Ministry of Defense.Considered to be a classic example of an "intractable conflict",the length of Israel's occupation was already regarded as exceptional after two decades, and is now thelongest in modern history.Israel has cited several reasons for retaining the West Bank within its ambit: a claim based on the notion of historic rights to this as a homeland as claimed in theBalfour Declarationof 1917; security grounds, both internal and external; and the deep symbolic value forJewsof the area occupied.

Quotes

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• I urge Israel to cease demolitions and evictions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, in line with its obligations underinternational humanitarian and human rights law.All settlement activities, including evictions and demolitions, are illegal underinternational law.A revitalized peace process is the only route to a just and lasting solution...Only through renewing our commitment and redoubling our efforts towards a negotiated solution can we bring thiscruelviolence andhatredto a definitive end.
  • António Guterres,Secretary-General’s Remarks to the General Assembly Meeting on the Situation in the Middle East and Palestine, United Nations Secretary-General, Statements, (20 May 2021)

• Israel's occupation of the West Bank is illegal underinternational law...Because the occupation is illegal, the consequences should be the immediate, unconditional complete withdrawal of Israel's military forces, the withdrawal of colonial settlers, the repeal of all discriminatory laws and dismantling of the military administrative regime.
  • Middle East EyeStaff,'Gross violation': Israel's occupation of West Bank illegal, new UN report finds(30 August 2023)

• Israel’s occupationis illegal and indistinguishable from a“settler-colonial” situation,which must end, as a pre-condition for Palestinians to exercise theirrighttoself-determination,the UN’s independent expert on the occupiedPalestinian territorysaid on Thursday. “For over 55 years, the Israeli military occupation has prevented the realisation of the right toself-determinationof the Palestinian people, violating each component of that right and wilfully pursuing the ‘de-Palestinianisation’ of the occupied territory,” saidFrancesca Albanese,UN Special Rapporteur on the situation ofhuman rightsin the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, in her report to theUN General Assembly.
  • Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territory, tantamount to ‘settler-colonialism’: UN expert,United Nations News27 October 2022

• As we have repeatedly said, forced evictions of Palestinians in east Jerusalem are part of Israel’sapartheidmachinery at work, designed to consolidate Jewish ownership of Jerusalem and racially dominate the city’s population.... Israel’s transfer of its own population into the occupied territory is a gross violation ofinternational humanitarian lawand awar crime.
  • UN experts includingFrancesca Albanese,as quoted in:Israel: UN experts condemn forced eviction of east Jerusalem familiesPress Release by Office of the High Commissioner for Human rights, United Nations(12 July 2023)

• The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the relentless expansion ofIsraeli settlementsin the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. During the last three months, more than 10,000 housing units were advanced... “Settlements further entrench the occupation, fuel violence, impede Palestinian access to their land and resources, and systematically erode the viability of a Palestinian State as part of a two-State solution”, the senior envoy said. “I call on the Government of Israel to cease all settlement activity and dismantle outposts immediately, in line with its obligations underinternational law,”he added.
  • Israeli settlements ‘systematically erode’ viability of Palestinian State,United Nations News(20 September 2023)

H

• There is no such thing as aWest Bank.
  • Mike Huckabee,according to a soundbyteo on **Palestinians are nervous as Mike Huckabee is named ambassador to Israel(NOVEMBER 14, 2024)

R

• A permanent occupation is a legal oxymoron.
  • Statements by Paul Reichler, a legal representative on behalf of Palestineabout the Israel occupation in thePalestinian territoriesat theInternational Court of Justicefor the case of theLegal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory including East Jerusalem(19 February 2024).IHLdefines thatoccupation is only a temporary situation.