Israeli Settlements, Palestinan Land

One salient point in the ongoing land dispute between the Israelis and Palestinians was solidified a month, or so, ago by Peace Now (.pdf). [What is peace now?] This point being that the state of Israel never formally annexed the West Bank and that area remains a spoil of war. Therefore, international law requires Israel – as an occupying power – to protect the property rights of those people residing in the area in question. This report concludes that the rights of many Palestinians have been violated. This is confirmed using information provided by the Israeli government and it appears that the effort to settle the occupied areas was and is a violation of “the landmark Elon More decision of the High Court of Justice in 1979” (p.3- 4).

This is the first time this data has been analyzed and made public. The analysis indicates a direct violation of Israeli law, carried out by the state at the command of the so-called “architects and leaders of the settlement movement” (p. 3). From this conclusion you can say that the state of Israel has failed to ensure the rights of thousands of Palestinians. This study is a comment on the settlement enterprise and the states role in that procedure. In addition, this act was and is a violation of international laws such as the 4th Geneva Accords and the Hague Agreement; not just established laws in Israel pertaining to its occupation of the West Bank. In conclusion this study finds that a large amount of private Palestinian land was settled by Israel.

Key findings:

Palestinians privately own nearly 40% of the land on which Israeli settlements were built.

Palestinians privately own more than 40% of the land located in Israeli “settlement blocs.”

More than 3400 buildings were contracted on private Palestinian land.

(view the full report here)

More coverage:

The Washington Post

The Independent Online

The BBC

The Iraqi Refugee Problems

Juan Cole points out these two troubling points

Jordan and Iraq may sign a protocol on security cooperation.
Something like 15% of Jordan’s population is now made up of expatriate Iraqis, and its own security is wrought up with that of Iraq (which is to say that that little kingdom is in big danger as we speak).

Some say there are as many as a million Iraqis in Syria, or around 5% of the some 19 million population. The UN High Commission on Refugees has run out of money to help them.

More brain drain for Iraq.