Israel this week marked 40 years since its stunning victory over vastly superior Arab forces in the 1967 Six Day War. The rest of the world remembered the event by unleashing a flood of criticism over Israel’s continued “occupation” of Judea, Samaria and the Golan Heights.
When Israel’s detractors speak of the “illegal occupation” they are basing their position on UN Security Council Resolution 242.
However, an honest examination of the resolution and the subsequent events of of the past four decades reveals that Israel’s control of these territories in fact constitutes a legal occupation.
The US and British authors of 242 were deliberately ambiguous when they called for an Israeli withdrawal from territories captured during the war. They did not demand that Israel leave “the territories” or “all territories,” but simply “territories.”
Nor did they determine that Israel was required to hand lost territories back to each of the three offending Arab states - Egypt, Syria and Jordan. Again, the resolution simply says “from territories” without any specification whatsoever regarding how much of each of the different territories was to be returned.
Since 1967, Israel has relinquished control of well over 90% of the territories it captured in the Six Day War, including the entire Sinai Peninsula, the whole of the Gaza Strip and large portions of Judea and Samaria.
It is safe to say from a legal standpoint that Israel has fulfilled its primary obligation under Resolution 242.
What’s more, Jordan waived its right to complain about receiving no land concessions from Israel when, in 1988, it publicly backed Palestinian sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.
With 242 satisfied, and Jordan renouncing its claim to the “West Bank,” Israel’s possession of Judea and Samaria as far as that landmark resolution is concerned is absolutely legal.
Taking the argument even further, it is important to note that 242 and every other UN resolution regarding Israel and the Middle East conflict since the establishment of the Jewish state in 1948 have been passed under Chapter VI of the UN Charter. That means they are in effect nothing more than recommendations on conflict resolution, and not legally binding rulings.
The last and only legally binding international decision regarding control of the land remains the closing statement of the 1920 League of Nations conference in San Remo, which granted Great Britain the right to temporarily govern the area known as “Palestine” with the intent of facilitating “close Jewish settlement” in all of what is today Israel, the Palestinian-controlled territories and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
That document - which, again, constitutes international law - actually acknowledges the “historic ties between the Jewish People and the Land of Israel,” which everyone in 1920 recognized as including Judea, Samaria, Gaza, the Golan Heights and the mountainous territories east of the Jordan River.
If the Palestinian Arabs want to dispute Israel’s control over those areas based on their own presence there, that is one thing. But to claim that their cause is backed by modern international law is a grievous distortion of facts.
Unfortunately, in today’s world, dishonest slogan-based propaganda usually wins out over truthful and thorough fact-checking in the battle for people’s hearts and minds.
Enjoy the article? Subscribe to our email updates
25 comments so far ↓
1 Charles // Jun 6, 2007 at 11:29 pm
The United Nations is a waste of time and money . Nobody pays any attention to them , they are always against Israel and Christians so why bother with what they think . The Islamic nations only use the UN for propaganda and leverage . Any agreements they have with the UN is ignored without condemnation . No one expects Islamic nations in general to keep their word, but the world expects more from Israel . That does not speak well for the integrity of the various Islamic factions .
2 Dan // Jun 7, 2007 at 3:03 am
I am totally agree with Charles and with this post, the problem is that the islamic nations will never recognize Israel because is the only democracy on the Middle East.
3 Joyce // Jun 7, 2007 at 5:59 am
Israel should not make anymore concessions of giving their land to the Arabs, and they should take back the land that they have already given away. And if the UN, and the rest of the world has a problem with that, then Israel should handle that situation also, even if it means using military force to put them in their place. And Israel should let them know in no uncertain terms, that they will not give up their land for any reason. Because giving in to these demands only makes them look weak, and it will only lead to more and more concessions, that they will be expected to make for this so-called peace plan. So they just need to put a stop to this madness, and gain control of the situation before it’s too late.
4 Nathan // Jun 7, 2007 at 6:16 am
Israels occupation is legal and always will be. War is hell and in war people die and things start on fire. Israel kicked some serious ass and Arabs hate that. Do people really think for a damn second that if the Arabs would have won Yom Kippur and assuming they didn’t kill every Jew, but yet occupied Israel, WHEN WOULD THEY EVER HAVE HAD TO GIVE ANYTHING BACK TO ISRAEL? — NEVER!!!!!!
UN go to hell, Arabs go to hell, Muslims go meet Allah in hell.
Your right Joyce — Stop the madness and get control.
5 Nerah // Jun 7, 2007 at 7:56 am
I think doing this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBZzSUNGYeE lol
would help alot, stop funding terrorists and protect Israel in many other ways, but they’d have to make sure the job was well done or things could escalate, not that they aren’t going to anyway! i’d include other places but doesn’t fit with the song,haha.
It is truly amazing how warped the world view of Israel and general truth is!
6 David Ben-Ariel // Jun 8, 2007 at 6:08 am
Israel continues to suffer the consequences for their sins of worrying more about what the world thinks than what the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob commands (Dan. 9:11).
The Israelis must recognize former Israeli Parliament Member and rabbi, Meir Kahane, was right and immediately annex the biblical territories without apology or hesitation and restore the Temple Mount as the Temple Mount.
7 Charles // Jun 9, 2007 at 4:36 am
Israel is not occupying anyone’s land . Syria is occupying part of Israel and so is Lebanon and Jordan . God gave the Jews that land as an inheritance . Who is able to say no to God ?
8 Newel // Jun 9, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Charles, you have it twisted. God has said no to the Jews.
9 Charles // Jun 9, 2007 at 5:20 pm
Hi Allyn are you back ?
Speaking of twisted views . The Dome will soon come down and the Temple will go up against all of your objections no matter how much animosity or disregard that you feel for the Jews . Jesus is a Jew and those are His people .
10 Joyce // Jun 9, 2007 at 6:21 pm
Newel,
You’re the one that has things twisted. You take verses out of context from the Bible, and twist them to your way of thinking. You should read all of the Bible with an open mind so you can see the truth, and understand the whole picture of how God feels about the Jews who are His Chosen People. And no amount of your twisting God’s Words is going to change that. And your indignation towards the Jews, is a reflection on how you must truly feel about Jesus because He is also a Jew.
11 Michael // Jun 11, 2007 at 3:41 pm
In response to the question posed perhaps we should look directly to the source, that being the Creator of all there is, and read what He said regarding this matter. Genesis 17:7 & 8;
7: And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
8: And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
Seems simple enough. The land belongs to the seed of Abraham through Isaac (not Ishmael) and Jacob (Israel) EVERLASTING.
To top that off esau, Ishmael’s son-in-law, sold his inheritance to Jacob. Sorry but the Palestinians are not even the Palestinians of Scripture and have no inherant rights to anything.
12 Marsha Carol Watson // Jun 12, 2007 at 1:00 am
The number 40 is significant in God’s numeric “set up.” The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness—-and then they came out and entered the Promised Land……THEY CAME OUT! Not without battles to fight and victories to be won……enemies were there then and now—-but I believe June 2007 is a turning point for the Nation of Israel.
God is going to show Himself strong and powerful for the Nation of Israel…..I believe a leadership change is on the horizon…..PRAISE THE LORD! It is certainly desperately needed!!! All of us who have been crying out to God for help and a Prime Minister who will stand strong and not “wimp out” are going to see it come to pass soon! Hallelujah!
There is a “spy in the sky” and His name is Jehovah God. He sees everything and He has a Plan…..Aren’t we thankful that He does all things well—-Even though it seems Israel is backed into a corner….God is not sitting up nights biting His fingernails…..He will soon manifest His great Love and Power on behalf of Israel.
Israel My Beloved, PRESS ON! Don’t get discouraged….all is not hopeless nor lost……Heavenly Father, Glorify thy name on behalf of the Nation and Land of Israel. amen and amen
13 Joyce and Charles // Jun 12, 2007 at 2:41 am
Michael , We agree totally with your post . That about says it all !
14 Charles // Jun 12, 2007 at 2:44 am
I never really considered the 40 year thing . An interesting point !
15 Michael // Jun 12, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Charles and Joyce,
Thanks for the kind words. I felt a need to respond to Newel’s charge that God has said no to the Jews.
Temporarily, as Paul stated in Romans 11:25 that blindness, in part, has come upon Israel. In part, because some Israelites (Jacob’s descendants) have accepted Messiah Jesus.
The promise, or covenant, given Abraham, was confirmed 430 years prior to the law being given between God and His Christ in heaven. Galatians 3:15-17.
That was the promise given Jacob (Israel) just before he went to Egypt to see Joseph before Jacob died. Genesis 46:3.
Once the “fulness of the Gentiles be come in” God will again turn to Israel (the seed of Jacob) and as He has promised in Jeremiah 31:31, Hebrews 8:8, 13 and finally in Hebrews 12:24, He will make a new covenant with Israel through the one mediator, Jesus.
Through Jesus 1/3 of the remnant of Israel that remains after the 3 1/2 year time of Jacob’s trouble (Zech. 13:8 & 9) Jesus returns to restore Israel as the elect whom He made the everlasting covenant with.
We Gentile, or non-Jews, who believe in Jesus and are born again, have been adopted into the promise given Abraham. Galatians 3:29.
God has only brought salvation to all outside of that promise, or covenant, so all mankind could be brought back into a right relationship wit Him. Israel rejected Jesus and was temporarily “karath” (cut off) and will be restored during the 3 1/2 years set aside as the second half of Daniel’s 70th week, or as Jeremiah 30:7 states:
Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.
He (Jacob, Israel Gen. 32:28) will be saved out of it. At least, that is, 1/3 of the remnant before Jesus sets foot back on the mount of Olives and begins His 1,000 year reign where we see Israel being restored. Eze. 36 & 37.
No Newel God has not said no to Israel, He has said yes to all who will come to faith in Jesus, His Christ, and be adopted into the promise given Abraham.
It was Israel who said no to God, but, that will change and God will restore Israel to the place they have always held in His heart. Isaiah 49:6.
As Joyce has said, it is you who have twisted Scripture and need to grasp the entirety of God’s Word and His eternal plan for His elect, Israel. Isa. 45:4.
In Christ Jesus,
Michael
16 Nathan // Jun 13, 2007 at 5:35 am
To bad Jesus didn’t tell us how to deal with the Palis, now that would have been helpful. Israel should be larger than she is today by right of historical ownership, and the lands won in wars are just the fruits of war. It’s not Israel’s fault that the Arabs make the worst battlefield commanders in the history of warfare during the 20th century and undoubtedly they will continue to be just as bad in the 21st century. The real end question is what does one do with the Palis? As long as they are around Israel — you have no peace forever.
17 Michael // Jun 13, 2007 at 6:37 pm
Nathan asks:
The real end question is what does one do with the Palis?
The answer is found in Zephaniah 2:5;
Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.
God has a plan to eliminate them before He retores Israel.
YBIC,
Michael
18 Gunnar Andreassen // Jun 14, 2007 at 9:54 am
This was interesting info, it is difficult to get unbiased info on this subject. Is is a good idea that israelis are in Israel, however the whole situation is a mess.
Muhammed is a false prophet and these crazy muslims should probably not even have a temple in Jerusalem. Anyway, the anti-terror wall was a good step in the right direction.
19 Nathan // Jun 21, 2007 at 6:03 pm
build a bigger wall!!!!
20 Charles // Jul 4, 2007 at 5:13 am
This blog site is dead as a door nail .
21 John // Aug 1, 2007 at 4:59 pm
I think we must keep peace with muslim for safety to our people
22 Johannes D. Schultz-Tesmar // Oct 7, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Johannes
Reading the editorial and the comments I am more then ever convinced that the Jews or Zionists are really the evil people not only the Arabs believed. They are as arrogant as the German Nazis and are rightfully called fascist and racist ZioNazis.
During my trip through the illegally occupied territories of Palestine between the Lebanese and the Egyptian border and the Mediterrean and the Jordan River last year I saw with my own eyes the criminal actions of the Zionists and their Gestapo against the rightful inhabitants of Palestine!
My view is shared by most Europeans and other people asked in a recent opinion-poll in whih 70% regarded the Zionist Entity as the most dangerous “state” in the world, followed by their puppet, the USA.
But, don’t worry. Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and the one billion Moslems one day will look after you! And when the Americans are thrown out of Iraq there will be other times!
As I am a victim of the German Nazis and my Arab friends (who are Semites) no one can call me rightfully call an Anti-Semite. That would be an insult to my Arab friends who suffer under the Zionist occupation.
And after I visited maimed Lebanese and Palestinian children in hospitals I wish that Hezbollah will kill more Jews!
23 tony // Oct 9, 2007 at 3:36 pm
you zionists make me sick. you honestly think some writing in a book which has more to do with astronomy than history gives you moral authority to slaughter hundreads a day, then play your little “when you give to israel you give hope” commercials? your asking canadians to give you money to kill kids with cluster bombs? remeber this. CANADA IS NOT ON YOUR SIDE.
24 Tiger // Dec 27, 2007 at 6:47 am
The anti-zionists never even try to justify their claim of Israel’s ” illegal occupation”. No wonder, since there is no law to support this claim. The Palestinian lands do not belong to Arabs and they never did since 7. Century. They were part of the Turkish Empire when the Jews started to move back to Palestine in 1882. The years 1917-1948 the land belonged to the British Mandate. There has never been an Arab State there, just a Jewish state. So, why do the anti-zionists call it “Palestinian territory”? Palestinian it is only because it is in Palestine. But the Jews are at least as much “Palestinians” as the arabs.
25 Mendejam // Jan 17, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Will someone please tell me, in the eyes of the so-called Palestinians, the US president and the UN, which portions of the Middle East can Israel claim legally — beyond dispute? Isn’t the area known as “Palestine” just a generic term much like the Midwest in the US? Where are the borders, who is the president, what does the flag look like, where is the US embassy? If the US and various Arab/Muslim leaders insist that Israel leave “occupied territories,” then where does that end? Maybe the US should give Texas and other southwest states back to Mexico? How about giving New York back to the Indians? Scholars can reply by email. 17 January 2008.
Leave a Comment