Why is West Bank considered occupied?

The Ministry says that occupied territories are territories captured in war from an established and recognized sovereign, and that since the West Bank wasn’t under the legitimate and recognized sovereignty of any state prior to the Six-Day War, it shouldn’t be considered an occupied territory.

Is the West Bank considered Palestine?

The Palestinian Territories consist of two distinct areas: the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip.

Is the West Bank occupied?

The status of the West Bank as an occupied territory has been affirmed by the International Court of Justice and, with the exception of East Jerusalem, by the Israeli Supreme Court. Israel has controversially, and in contravention of international law, established numerous settlements throughout the West Bank.

Why is it called occupied territory?

Overview. The significance of the designation of these territories as occupied territory is that certain legal obligations fall on the occupying power under international law.

Who does Palestine belong to?

Israel
Although the concept of the Palestine region and its geographical extent has varied throughout history, it is now considered to be composed by the modern State of Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Where is occupied Palestinian territory?

The OPT consists of the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and Gaza. Some 4.5 million Palestinians live in the OPT (2.7 million in the West Bank and 1.8 million in Gaza).

Why was Palestine occupied?

Instead of exchanging land for peace, as per UN Resolution 242 that called on Israel to give up the territories in exchange for peace with its neighbours at the end of the 1967 war, Israel began encouraging its citizens to move into the territories it occupied and supporting them as they did so.

How did Palestine become occupied?

When World War I ended in 1918, the British took control of Palestine. The League of Nations issued a British mandate for Palestine—a document that gave Britain administrative control over the region, and included provisions for establishing a Jewish national homeland in Palestine—which went into effect in 1923.

Why is the West Bank considered occupied territory?

The 1949 Geneva Convention, which Israel signed, prohibits an occupying state from moving its own civilians into the territory it occupies. According to the International Court of Justice, the UN’s main judicial body, the West Bank is considered occupied territory because it was not part of Israel before the Israeli army conquered it in 1967.

When did the Israeli occupation of the west bank begin?

The Israeli occupation of the West Bank began on 7 June 1967 during the Six-Day War when Israel occupied the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and continues to the present day. The status of the West Bank as an occupied territory has been affirmed by the International Court of Justice and,…

How much of the West Bank is controlled by the Palestinians?

Since the 1993 Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority officially controls a geographically non-contiguous territory comprising approx. 11\% of the West Bank (known as Area A) which remains subject to Israeli incursions. Area B (approx. 28\%) is subject to joint Israeli-Palestinian military and Palestinian civil control.

Does the law of occupation apply to the West Bank?

The status of the West Bank as an occupied territory has been affirmed by the International Court of Justice and, with the exception of East Jerusalem, by the Israeli Supreme Court. The official Israeli government view is that the law of occupation does not apply and it claims the territories are “disputed”.