Occupation – thinc.

A Layperson’s Guide to Some Basic Concepts in International Law and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

BlogsBy Darius Lee October 6, 2020

International law can be confusing even for lawyers and law students who are trying to grasp its basic concepts. What do terms like “conquest”, “belligerent occupation”, “annexation”, “statehood”, “non-self-governing territory” and “the right to self-determination” mean? To the average non-lawyer, these terms might sound like a completely foreign language. In this article, we hope to provide a simple layperson’s guide to some basic concepts in international law, and their relevance to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Palestinians and Israelis will both gain from Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank

BlogsBy Avi Bell July 2, 2020 Leave a comment

Against all the negative rhetoric and criticism of the Israeli Government’s plans to apply its civilian law to parts of the ‘West Bank’ professor Bell puts the benefits for both parties.

Do the Israeli government’s plans to apply its law and jurisdiction to the Jordan Valley and settlement blocs infringe international law?

Briefing papersBy Pieter Hoogendoorn June 26, 2020 2 Comments

This is the central question of a Briefing Paper that thinc. released on 25 June 2020. In the Paper, the authors, Prof. Gregory Rose, Dr. Cynthia Day Wallace, Dr. Matthijs de Blois and Mr. Andrew Tucker examine the question vis-a-vis four different principles of international law, and arrive at a clear and decisive conclusion. There…

Israel’s Proposed “Annexation” of the ‘West Bank’ Under International Law – Q&A

BlogsBy Andrew Tucker and Pieter Hoogendoorn June 19, 2020 3 Comments

There is much confusion and controversy about the plan of the Israeli government to extend its legal administration and excercise its sovereignty in certain parts of Judea and Samaria per 1 July 2020. This Q&A is intended to assist the reader in understanding what international law says about the plans.

An Open Letter to the Israeli Government Condemning Annexation – A Response

Op-edsBy Dr. Cynthia Day Wallace June 19, 2020 7 Comments

In response to the Open Letter in Opinio Juris about the plans of the Israeli Government to “annex” certain parts of the “West Bank”, the author points at the misrepresentation of the planned act as ‘annexation’; you cannot annex territory where you already possess sovereignty.

Open Letter Signed by International Law Experts on 10 June 2020

BlogsBy Andrew Tucker June 18, 2020 2 Comments

By Andrew Tucker, Director at thinc. On the 10th of June, over 100 international lawyers issued an Open Letter to the Israeli government, stating that Israel’s policy proposal is “clearly unlawful, and will most likely have adverse consequences, including … consequences of an internationally wrongful act … [and] a high likelihood of violent…

ICC “Situation in Palestine“ – the Prosecutor’s Unbalanced Approach

BlogsBy Andrew Tucker June 16, 2020 Leave a comment

ICC Prosecutor sweeps aside arguments made by several highly regarded international lawyers, and seven States who are Parties to the ICC Statute of Rome.

To annex or not to annex. That’s not the question.

ArticlesBy Matthijs de Blois June 8, 2020 Leave a comment

The new Israeli government intends to extend Israeli sovereignty to parts of Judea and Samaria (the so-called West Bank). The media cry out ‘illegal annexation’ but is this a question of annexation? How can one annex what you’re entitled to?

ICC Examination of Israeli Settlement Policies as War Crimes in “Palestine”: a Grave Mistake

BlogsBy Andrew Tucker December 13, 2019 Leave a comment

On 5 December 2019 the Office of the Prosecutor of the
International Criminal Court issued its annual Report on Preliminary Examination Activities 2019. In this report, the Prosecutor, Ms. Fatou
Bensouda, gave a summary of the status of the twelve “situations” under examination by her office. She has indicated strongly that the Office intends to move forward soon to officially investigate Israeli leaders for war crimes and possibly also crimes against humanity relating to the “situation in Palestine”. In our view, the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC is making a grave mistake.

Israel on Trial

BooksBy Matthijs de Blois and Andrew Tucker October 27, 2019

In 2018, the State of Israel turned 70, but it has never been fully accepted as a member of the international community. Notwithstanding peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan, conflict between Israel and some of its neighbors in the region is looming. And peace between Israel and the Palestinians seems as far away as ever. Why?

Tag Archives: Occupation