147.205.226.15 (talk) No edit summary |
m typo speaking |
||
(12 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
An '''occupied territory''' is a region that has been taken over by a [[sovereign]] power after a military conquest (see [[military occupation]]). In most cases the period of occupation is temporary, pending the signing of a peace treaty, the resolution of specific conditions outlined in a peace treaty, or the formation of a new government.<!--This should be rephrased, occupation is by definition a temporary situation, although it at times may last decades, its not supposed to be a permament situation--> |
|||
{{Mergeto|Military occupation|date=September 2006}} |
|||
{{dablink|This article is about occupied territory in general: for the territories captured by [[Israel]] in the [[Six-Day War]], see [[Israeli-occupied territories]].}} |
|||
Examples of occupied territories include [[Allied Control Council|Germany]] and [[Occupied Japan|Japan]] after [[World War II]]; the [[Sinai Peninsula]] (from 1967 until 1979), and the [[Golan Heights]]; [[Cambodia]] by [[Vietnam]] from 1979 until 1989; and [[Post-invasion Iraq, 2003-2005|Iraq]] after the fall of the government of [[Saddam Hussein]]. |
|||
⚫ | <!--Because military occupation is often considered illegitimate, the term is often used to refer to territories whose government one considers illegitimate. This usage is not technically accurate under international law because territory which has been formally annexed is not occupied territory even if that annexation is disputed. This opinion is not universally adopted, and bodies such as the [[United Nations Security Council]] frequently describe as "occupied" territories which have been annexed in the event that the annexation is not accepted.--> |
||
However, strictly speaking, neither the [[Gaza Strip]] (before or until 2005), nor the [[West Bank]] (since 1967), have ever been "territories" or "regions" "occupied" by Israel, from the standpoint of [[International Law]]. And the legal reason is simple: the "boarder" were soverign Israel ends and the alleged occupied regions or territories begin have not been defined. |
|||
The [[mandate]] of [[Palestine]] was created not by the [[Balfour Declaration]] but by the [[League of Nations]]. And the [[state]] of [[Israel]] was created, or recognized, by the [[United Nation]]. The [[West Bank]] had been "occupied"--but only until [[1967]], when it was "liberated" from [[Jordan]]--by [[Israel]]. |
|||
[[Jordan]] had "illegally" occupied the [[West Bank]]--and even incoporated the land into its own state. But this was only recognized by two other soverign states at the time. [[Jordan]] was a "soverign power" which, through military conquest and occupation, in [[1948]]/[[1949]], took over and "occupied" the region of the [[West Bank]]. But since the borders of Israel (which would separate it from these two regions or territories) have never been defined, Israel was not, and is not, an "occupying power" of Palestinian land--not as far as internation law, defined by the [[Mandate]] for [[Palestine]], is concerned. |
|||
Accordingly, these two regions where [[Palestinians]] live are no more "occupied" than [[Tel Aviv]] is. So that when [[Hamas]] speaks of "occupied Palestinian land"--it means "all of Israel." And rightly so--for there is no distinction to be made here, at least not until the parties involved come to an peaceful agreement defining where, if anywhere, the international boarder of Israel is. |
|||
⚫ | <!--Because military occupation is often considered illegitimate, the term is often used to refer to territories whose government one considers illegitimate. This usage is not technically accurate under international law because territory which has been formally annexed is not occupied territory even if that annexation is disputed. This opinion is not universally adopted, and bodies such as the [[United Nations Security Council]] frequently describe as "occupied" territories which have been annexed in the event that the annexation is not accepted.--> |
||
==History and definitions== |
==History and definitions== |
||
Most nations in the world are in some way an occupier of a previous inhabitant's land. Generally, any disputed territory can be seen as occupied by the party that lacks control over it at that moment. Thus, the Germanic tribes displaced the Celtic population of [[Europe]]; [[Egypt]] was conquered and absorbed in the 7th century by [[Arabs]] who were not its original population. This is particularly true of the region between Egypt and [[Turkey]] where repeated population movements and military conquests have occurred during the past several thousand years. See [[Occupation of Palestine]]. |
Most nations in the world are in some way an occupier of a previous inhabitant's land. Generally, any disputed territory can be seen as occupied by the party that lacks control over it at that moment. Thus, the Germanic tribes displaced the Celtic population of [[Europe]]; [[Egypt]] was conquered and absorbed in the 7th century by [[Arabs]] who were not its original population. This is particularly true of the region between Egypt and [[Turkey]] where repeated population movements and military conquests have occurred during the past several thousand years. See [[Occupation of Palestine]]. |
Revision as of 23:48, 17 November 2006
An occupied territory is a region that has been taken over by a sovereign power after a military conquest (see military occupation). In most cases the period of occupation is temporary, pending the signing of a peace treaty, the resolution of specific conditions outlined in a peace treaty, or the formation of a new government.
Examples of occupied territories include Germany and Japan after World War II; the Sinai Peninsula (from 1967 until 1979), and the Golan Heights; Cambodia by Vietnam from 1979 until 1989; and Iraq after the fall of the government of Saddam Hussein.
However, strictly speaking, neither the Gaza Strip (before or until 2005), nor the West Bank (since 1967), have ever been "territories" or "regions" "occupied" by Israel, from the standpoint of International Law. And the legal reason is simple: the "boarder" were soverign Israel ends and the alleged occupied regions or territories begin have not been defined.
The mandate of Palestine was created not by the Balfour Declaration but by the League of Nations. And the state of Israel was created, or recognized, by the United Nation. The West Bank had been "occupied"--but only until 1967, when it was "liberated" from Jordan--by Israel.
Jordan had "illegally" occupied the West Bank--and even incoporated the land into its own state. But this was only recognized by two other soverign states at the time. Jordan was a "soverign power" which, through military conquest and occupation, in 1948/1949, took over and "occupied" the region of the West Bank. But since the borders of Israel (which would separate it from these two regions or territories) have never been defined, Israel was not, and is not, an "occupying power" of Palestinian land--not as far as internation law, defined by the Mandate for Palestine, is concerned.
Accordingly, these two regions where Palestinians live are no more "occupied" than Tel Aviv is. So that when Hamas speaks of "occupied Palestinian land"--it means "all of Israel." And rightly so--for there is no distinction to be made here, at least not until the parties involved come to an peaceful agreement defining where, if anywhere, the international boarder of Israel is.
History and definitions
Most nations in the world are in some way an occupier of a previous inhabitant's land. Generally, any disputed territory can be seen as occupied by the party that lacks control over it at that moment. Thus, the Germanic tribes displaced the Celtic population of Europe; Egypt was conquered and absorbed in the 7th century by Arabs who were not its original population. This is particularly true of the region between Egypt and Turkey where repeated population movements and military conquests have occurred during the past several thousand years. See Occupation of Palestine.
Additionally, occupation has two distinct meanings:
- The state of being lived in (as in: "Isle of Man is occupied by the Manx", or this house is occupied by the Smith family);
- The state of military control following conquest by war.
Although (1) and (2) are obviously distinct, they are sometimes intermingled. Under (1), the territory in question is under normal civilian law; under (2) the territory is usually under military law within the terms of the Laws of war, such as the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Occupied territories since 1907
For a list of occupied territories since since the Hague Convention of 1907 Laws and Customs of War on Land (Hague IV); October 18, 1907 first clarified and supplemented the customary laws of belligerent military occupation see the list of military occupations and the list of territorial disputes...