I used to think it was this simple. After going there, I no longer do. True, much of the world considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank a violation of the Geneva Convention. specifically Article 49, which bars an occupying power from transferring its civilian population into occupied territory. Israel disputes this. They argue the West Bank wasn’t sovereign before 1967. I find this point is very compelling, it was annexed by Jordan for only 19 years and not internationally recognized. It’s not “occupied” in any real legal sense. They also claim the Geneva rule was meant to stop forced population transfers like the Nazis did, not voluntary civilian migration. Still, the UN and ICJ reject that interpretation. They see the settlements as entrenching permanent control over land captured in war, exactly what international law is supposed to prevent. But these are the same institutions that have held Israel to INSANE double standards. It’s hard to feel like they are honest actors. Ultimately, having talked to them, most of these settlers are just people. They built homes for the same reasons anyone else does. They can’t afford to live in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, feel connected to the land and want their children to be raised in peace. It’s easy to forget that from America.
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