How the Occupation Began
Israel captured Gaza, West Bank, Golan Heights, East Jerusalem, and the Sainai from Egypt, Jordan, and Syria during the 1967 war. The original intent of capturing these lands was to secure its borders with hostile neighbors. East Jerusalem, however, was taken more out of religious significance for the Jews than for defense. Israel initially banned all settlement activity in the captured territory. However, after it became clear that Israel's neighbors were in no mood to make peace in the near future, Israel began building settlements for its civilians on the occupied lands. Israel returned the Sinai as part of a peace deal with Egypt in 1979 and Israel withdrew from Gaza (and parts of the West Bank) in August 2005 as part of a unilateral peace move.
Before the Israeli Occupation
When people talk about the occupation of Gaza or the West Bank, they are usually refering to Israel's occupation. However, this land was occupied even before the 1967 war. After the U.N. resolution in 1948, which called for the creation of a Jewish state in Israel and a Palestinian state consisting of Gaza and the West Bank, Egypt and Jordan captured the lands that were suppoed to be used for a Palestinian state during the 1948 war. The Jordanian and Egyptian occupation of West Bank and Gaza has been described as brutal. People who visited Jordanian occupied West Bank described it as a "prison camp".
Purpose of the Occupation
Gaza, West Bank, and the Sanai
The primary purpose of Israel's occupation of Gaza, the Sanai, and the West Bank was to secure its borders with Egypt and Jordan, who were hostile enemies at the time. The secondary reason was to use the lands as tools for negotiating peace with its neighbors. There was also a religious signifiance of this land to the Jews. The plan for negotiating peace worked in 1979 when Israel successfully acheived peace with Egypt in return for the Sanai. However, despite peace deals with Egypt and Jordan, Israel continued to occupy Gaza until August 2005, and continues the occupation of the West Bank to this day. Israel continues to build settlements in the West Bank which are reguarded as illegal by the international community. Israel is in violation the fourth geneva conventions, which forbids an occupying power from putting its civilian popultion in the occupied areas. Since Egypt and Jordan are no longer a threat to Israel, the occupation of Gaza and West Bank is no longer morally legitamite. Israel has kept the West Bank and Gaza as "disputed territories" and has not yet annexed either land.
The Golan Heights
Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria for the same reasons as Gaza and West Bank: to secure its borders with a hostile enemy. Unlike Egypt and Jordan, Syria has not made peace with Israel. So unlike Gaza and the West Bank, it is 100% legitamite for Israel to keep the Golan Heights at this time. Unlike Gaza and the West Bank, Israel has annexed Golan Heights and given all peoples (Jewish and non-Jewish) living in the Golan full citizenship rights including the right to vote. Syria has long demanded Israel return the Golan to Syrian control. However many Arab citizens of the Golan say they would rather be a part of democratic Israel then part a part of the dictatorship in Syria.
East Jerusalem
Unlike the other lands Israel captured in the 1967 war, the primary reason of the occupation and annexation of East Jerusalem, was largely for religious reasons rather than for security. The Jews have many significant and historical roots to East Jerusalem. They believe it was given to them by "god". Many Christians and Muslims have religious holy sites in East Jerusalem as well. Anyone who has looked at this website long enough knows that I am an atheist and I have no tolerance for using religion to dictate international politics. Israeli ownership of East Jerusalem is wrong, and illegal. It should be up to negotiations with the Palestinians to decide ownership. Both East and West Jerusalem should be guaranteed to be open to people of all faiths who want to visit the holy sites. Many religious Christians (and even religious Muslims to a small extend) support Israeli control of all Jerusalem because when East Jerusalem was under Arab control prior to 1967, the Arabs closed up all the holy sites for everyone but themselves. However under Israeli control, all of Jerusalem and the holy sites are open to anyone of any faith. However, East Jerusalem should still be allowed to be the Arab capital for a future Palestinian state assuming the Palestinians will keep the holy sites open to everyone.
Israel's Justification for Occupation and Settlements
Israel's main arguments to justify the occupation and settlement activities in the territories are: The land was vacant, the land was bought fairly from the Palestinians, and the lands were conquered in a defensive war and should be considered legitimate reparations from the invading country. The Arab world disputes the land vacancy claim by saying that even though the land Israel took might have been empty, it still belonged to the Arabs. And Israel has yet to justify how East Jerusalem qualifies as a reparation.
Solution to the Occupation and Settlements
The occupation and the settlements have been one (although by far not the only) roadblock to peace between Israel and the Palestinians. There is much debate in Israel over the best solution to the settlement problem. Israel has continued to build illegal settlements in the West Bank and Jersusalem despite international condemnation. Palestinians are banned from using the highways that connect the settlements in the occupied territories. Israel has continued an almost 40 year occupation which has been used as propoganda by Israel's opponents. Israel must end the occupation of all territories and dismantle all Israeli settlements. Israel has two viable ways of doing this. One would be a withdrawl from the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and a manual dismantlement of the settlements in those areas. This would likely create widespread opposition throughout Israel just like the Gaza pullout did in 2005. Israel's other option would be to annex the West Bank and give all Palestinians living there full citizenship rights. Israel is unlikely to do this since this move would give millions of Arab Palestinians Israeli citizenship and this would undermine Israel's Jewish identity. The most likely possibility is a mixture of the two. Israel will probably end up withdrawing from some parts of the West Bank and annexing others.
Next would be a complete withdrawl from East Jerusalem. Israel's purpose for capturing East Jerusalem was religiously based. Therefore it is invalid. East Jerusalem should be the Arab capital of a future Palestinian state, one in which people of all faiths are allowed to visit at any time. West Jerusalem should remain under Israeli control. At this time it seems unlikely Israel will withdraw from East Jerusalem since the new "moderate" political party, Kadima, believes Jerusalem should be united and under Israeli control.
Cost of Occupation - Over $50 Billion
Since The Gaza Pullout
Understanding Pullout Opposition
Bush Urges Freeze on West Bank Settlements
Israel Approves New Settlement in West Bank
Legality of West Bank Settlements Being Reassessed
The Golan is Israeli
More Articles on Settlements
Sharon's Party: Kadima
Using Religion to Justify Israel
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Location: Wainscott,NY
Comment:
On November 17, 1947 Golda Meir, representing the Jewish Agency, met secretly with King Abdullah of Jordan and reached an agreement to divide Palestine between Jordan and what was later to become Israel. The purpose was to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state.
This agreement was kept secret for many years as neither party wanted to admit to it. Israeli occupation and settlement of the West Bank began with the 1948 war and continues to this day.
Response:
you know that jordan is a palestinian state, right?
Name: Henry Clifford
Location: Wainscott,NY
Comment:
It is not clear to me whether you are serious or joking. Assuming the former ...Jordan, Palestine, and other territories were part of the Ottoman Empire without having discrete boundaries but Jordan is not now nor has it ever been a Palestinian state.
Response:
let me clarify what i meant. jordan was part of historic palestine. in fact they were occupying the west bank from 48-67.
here are some facts about jordan:
* The current queen of Jordan is an Arab Palestinian.
* Approximately half of Jordan's prime ministers since 1950 have been Arab Palestinians.
* More than 2/3 of the Jordanian people are Arab Palestinians.
* The majority of citizens residing in the capital of Amman are Arab Palestinians.
* Arab Palestinians constitute not less than one half of the members of the armed forces, according to the late King Hussein, as broadcast on Amman Radio February 3, 1973.
* The majority of other security forces are Arab Palestinians.
* Jordan occupies 77% of the original Palestine Mandate. The population density of Jordan is less than 61 people per square mile leaving lots of room to absorb many more of their brethren and cousins.
here are some quotes from both jordanian and Palestinian leaders:
"Palestine and Jordan are one..." said King Abdullah in 1948.
"The truth is that Jordan is Palestine and Palestine is Jordan," said King Hussein of Jordan, in 1981.
"Palestine is Jordan and Jordan is Palestine; there is only one land, with one history and one and the same fate," Prince Hassan of the Jordanian National Assembly was quoted as saying on February 2, 1970.
Accordingly, Abdul Hamid Sharif, Prime Minister of Jordan declared, in 1980, "The Palestinians and Jordanians do not belong to different nationalities. They hold the same Jordanian passports, are Arabs and have the same Jordanian culture."
"There should be a kind of linkage because Jordanians and Palestinians are considered by the PLO as one people," according to Farouk Kaddoumi, then head of the PLO Political Department, who gave the statement to Newsweek on March 14, 1977. Distinguished Arab-American Princeton University historian Philip Hitti testified before the Anglo-American Committee,
Source: http://christianactionforisrael.org/isreport/janfeb04/jordan.html
so when you say jordan and Israel wanted to split up Palestine, i dont see a problem with that. Israel is a jewish state, and jordan can easily be the
Palestinian state.
and when you say "Israeli occupation and settlement of the West Bank began with the 1948 war and continues to this day" this doesn't make sense either because Israel had no presence in the west bank until 1967. in 2000 the Israeli prime minister barak offered gaza and large parts of the west bank to the Palestinians. until a couple of months ago the olmert government was making plans to withdraw from large parts of the west bank.