Israeli Violations of International Law[1]

Illegality of Israel’s Occupation

Laws Violated: U.N. Charter, Article 2(4) & 51 (1945); Declaration on Principles of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations…, Principle 1 (1970).

Israeli Actions: Military action and occupations are legal only if they are for self-defense, or to directly benefit the native population. However, the UN, activists, scholars, and human rights groups have noted that Israel is not just defending itself as it develops de-facto annexation with its settlements and separation barrier on occupied land, as it takes over most of the occupied territories (over 70%) for its own use and economic benefit, at the expense of the native Palestinian population.

Illegality of Israeli Settlements on Occupied Palestinian Land

Laws Violated: Geneva Conventions IV, Article 49(6) (1949)

Israeli Actions: Immediately following the 1967 war, Israel began building settlements on Palestinian land and moving its own population into those settlements. They have built over 100 settlements throughout the occupied territories, & settling over 550,000 Israeli civilians in them, displacing hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians from their own legally owned lands.[2]

Illegal Seizure of Land

Laws Violated: U.N. Charter, Article 2(4) (1945); Declaration on Principles of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations…, Principle 1 (1970).

Israeli Actions: Israel seized 22% more land than it was allotted under the partition plan of 1947 when it was originally created in 1948. In addition, Israel continuously seizes Palestinian land in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Israel Proper that has been repeatedly condemned by human rights organizations.[3] This land is then reserved and given for the exclusive use of Jewish citizens of the state at the expense of Palestinians.

Illegality of Israeli Ethnic Cleansing of Palestinians

Laws Violated: Geneva Convention IV, Articles 45, 46 & 49 (1949), UN resolutions 194 (III) (General Assembly; 1948) & 237 (Security Council; 1967).

Israeli Actions: Israel took Palestinian lands and then refused the Palestinian landowners or tenants residency or employment on them. Following fighting in 1948 and then again in 1967, Israel expelled hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and then refused re-entry to Palestinian civilians who wished to return to their homes in Israel and then the Occupied Territories, confining them to increasingly smaller areas of Israel and Occupied Territories in order to create an artificial demographic majority for themselves.[4]

Illegality of Israeli Apartheid

Laws Violated: International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid (1976).

Israeli Actions: Israel subjects Palestinians to Martial Law while Jewish Israeli settlers are subjected to Israeli Civil Law. This policy of two separate laws for two peoples residing in the same territory on the basis of identity directly reflects the UN’s official, legal definition of the Crime of Apartheid.

Massive Violations of Human Rights

Laws Violated: U.N. Charter, Article 1 (1945); Declaration on Principles of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations…, Principle 5 (1970).

Israeli Actions:Israeli state policy infringes upon Palestinian human rights in such ways as the the uneven distribution of land and water resources, the unlawful demolition of Palestinian homes, the administrative detention of Palestinians without charge, the system of checkpoints preventing Palestinians’ right to freedom of movement, the siege and blockade of Gaza, the unlawful execution of Palestinians, and the killing of Palestinians in Gaza through all-out war.[5]

Illegality of Collective Punishment of Palestinians

Laws Violated: Geneva Conventions IV, Article 33 (1949); Geneva Conventions (Protocol I), Article 75(2d) (1977).

Israeli Actions: Israel frequently punishes the entirety of the Palestinian population for the actions of a few by systematically denying basic human rights. This includes withholding of water[6], withholding of Palestinian tax revenues[7], the siege and blockade of Gaza, the shutdown of the permit system[8], and the destruction of entire neighborhoods, such as Shujaiya[9].

Illegality of Massive Transformation of Local Laws

Laws Violated: Hague Regulations IV, Article 43 (1907).

Israeli Actions: Israel has created a dual legal system in the occupied territories – a democratic one linked to Israel for the Israeli settlements, and an oppressive, exploitive one for the Palestinian communities run by Israeli military committees and Israeli controlled Civic Administrations, replacing all Palestinian government functions with Israeli military committees, and dismissing or deporting Palestinian government officials.

Violations of UN Security Council Resolutions

Laws Violated: U.N. Charter, Article 25 (1945); a few sample resolutions - 54, 111, 194, 233, 234, 236, 248, 250, 252, 256, 262, 267, 270, 280, 285, 298, 313, 316, 468, 476, etc.

Israeli Actions: Israel has violated many U.N. Security Council resolutions especially relating to its occupation, land annexations, military aggression, human rights violations, etc.

[1]Israeli Law Resource Center

[2] B’Tselem

[3]

[4] Ilan Pappe The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine

[5] See Divestment Resolution citations 7-16, 21-23

[6]Collective Punishment: Water

[7]Collective Punishment: Taxes

[8]Collective Punishment: Permits

[9]Collective Punishment: Shujaiya