US Threatens to Cut Off Aid to Palestinians After Move to Join ICC

[cosmicone]

84. Calling other people naïve doesn't further debate.

Occupation typically refers to foreign control of an area that was under the previous sovereignty of another state. In the case of the West Bank, there was no legitimate sovereign because the territory had been illegally occupied by Jordan from 1948 to 1967. Only two countries—Britain and Pakistan—recognized Jordan’s action. The Palestinians never demanded an end to Jordanian occupation and the creation of a Palestinian state. Not one Palestinian spoke against Jordan's occupation of the very same territory.

It is also necessary to distinguish the acquisition of territory in a war of conquest as opposed to a war of self-defense. A nation that attacks another and then retains the territory it conquers is an occupier. One that gains territory in the course of defending itself is not in the same category. This is the situation with Israel, which specifically told King Hussein that if Jordan stayed out of the 1967 war, Israel would not fight against him. Hussein ignored the warning and attacked Israel. While fending off the assault and driving out the invading Jordanian troops, Israel came to control the West Bank.

By rejecting Arab demands that Israel be required to withdraw from all the territories won in 1967, UN Security Council Resolution 242 acknowledged that Israel was entitled to claim at least part of these lands for new defensible borders.

Your last paragraph highlights Israel's problem. The Palestinian leadership is disorganized and there is no reliable negotiating partner. Fatah may want an agreement with Israel but doesn't speak for all because Hamas wants destruction of Israel.

The negotiations in Ireland were simpler because Sin Fein was a single party representing the IRA and agreed to abide by any resultant treaty.

Facts remain facts.