Question of occupation

Letters

Editor: Abe Katz suggested that I do more research on Israeli policies ("Check your research," Bulletin Letters, May 9). I am happy to summarize the research I have already done. Mr. Katz says that Israel has not occupied the West Bank and Gaza beginning in 1967 but rather that the land is disputed land. He says the Geneva Convention IV: 49, preventing an occupier from transferring civilians to occupied land, cannot apply, as the area in question was the happy hunting ground of the superpowers and no resident Arab government ever existed in this area.

The question of occupation in international law, however, is determined by military authority takeovers and is not restricted to takeovers from a recognized sovereign. Geneva Convention IV was signed in 1949 when, obviously, Israel was not the military power over the West Bank and Gaza. In 1967, the previous military powers there were ousted by the Israeli military power. Therefore, the UN Security Council (for example in Resolution 242, once again endorsed in President George Bush's road map) and legal analysts in Israel and everywhere else recognize that, in 1967, Israel began occupying land in the West Bank and Gaza. The Israeli government's subsequent policies have violated international law forbidding the establishment of civilian settlements in occupied land. Palestinian groups need to make major changes in policy. So does the government of Israel. "Justice, justice" of Deuteronomy 16:20 has a new meaning in our time.

Leonard Angel
Vancouver

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