Updates From Israel and Palestine
This just in, through +972 – Judiciary panel appointed by Netanyahu concludes: There is no occupation:
“A panel formed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has concluded that Israel is entitled to settle the West Bank with Jews. The committee, headed by former Supreme Court Justice Edmond Levy, claims that Israel’s control over the West Bank cannot be seen as “occupation” since no country has recognized sovereignty over the territory. Therefore, the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prevents the transfer of a civilian population by an occupying force into the occupied territory, does not apply to the West Bank. Justice Levy recommends that the Israeli government end the temporary status of the settlements and register the settlers’ control over the territory.”
In other news:
- Amira Hass reports on the Palestinian Authority’s repression of popular protest against the humiliation of PA’s obsequious security cooperation with the Israeli occupation.
- An Israeli Knesset committee has decided to extend a law exempting security forces from documenting investigations of terror suspects. This further erodes any possibility for domestic or international oversight and criticism of Israel’s treatment of “suspects of security offenses” – i.e. Palestinians.
- From the Israeli military’s perspective, the violence in Syria heralds the possibility of another war in Lebanon. According to a senior IDF officer: Israel is preparing for the next Lebanon war. One should wonder how this increased preparedness will affect the likelihood of an Israeli attack on Lebanon.
- Israeli “non-occupation” authorities in the West Bank are once again threatening the Palestinian residents of Susya with demolition and eviction, following a high court ruling. Resistance activists have been rallying to defend the village, including last week when 2 Israeli solidarity activists were arrested for spraying over settlers’ anti-Arab graffiti, which called for ethnic cleansing, with their own pro-peace graffiti, calling for the liberation of Susya. Rabbis for human rights provide some background on the origin of the expulsion in Susya.
The Israeli social justice #J14 protest movement is getting some attention from activists abroad:
- M15 Indignados have published this letter from Spain to #J14.
- Following up on some advice presented to the Israeli protest movement by fellow OWS organizer, I published this challenge to the Israeli activists: Will you stand with the Palestinians?