International law dictates that military occupation is an inherently temporary situation, and its prolonged, indefinite duration raises significant legal concerns, potentially leading to its classification as unlawful. While no specific maximum time limit is universally defined, the core principles of international law, especially international humanitarian law (IHL) and the right to self-determination, treat a long-overdue occupation as a violation of fundamental norms.
A key principle is that the occupying power does not acquire sovereignty over the territory, but merely exercises temporary administrative control. The purpose is to act as a de facto administrator until control can be returned to the sovereign power, ideally as soon as possible, but that has never been the intention of the Israeli belligerent. However, the role the Israeli belligerent is resorting to is that of taking the sovereignty that the Palestinian Authority has over the West Bank.
Therefore, the acquisition of territory by force is strictly prohibited under the UN Charter and customary international law. A prolonged occupation that seeks to make permanent changes to the territory or effectively annex it (de jure or de facto) is a serious breach of international law.
- Please take note that dates refer to the day when a video or photo was published on the account of a social media user, where it was found.
- Credit: photographers, videographers, reporters, and journalists in the West Bank, news agencies, and other sources.
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Targeting ambulances, medical personnel & hospitals
20251202 - outside Ramallah - Israeli belligerent closed the Atara Gate, forcing the patient to be switched to another ambulance
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- Parent Category: ARMED ANNEXING BELLIGERENT
- Category: DESTRUCTION
20251202 - Jenin refugee camp - Al-Jazeera reports on the recent Israeli demolition campaign in the Jenin refugee camp
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- Parent Category: Demolitions
- Category: Demolition as a collective punishment
20251202 - Aqaba, northeast of Jenin - Punitive demoliton of the home of detainee Ayman Ghannam by Israeli occupation forces
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- Parent Category: Demolitions
- Category: Demolition as a collective punishment
20251202 - Zawata, west of Nablus - Israeli belligerent blocks road ahead of demolition family home of Palestinian detainee Abdelkrim Snobar (2 photos)
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- Parent Category: Demolitions
- Category: Demolition as a collective punishment
20251202 - Zawata, west of Nablus - Punitive demolition of the family house of imprisoned Sanoubar
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Abduction
20251201 - Hebron, occupied West Bank - Photo shows Palestinians, blindfolded and handcuffed, reportedly held inside a house seized by Israeli forces.
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Abduction
20251201 - south of Jenin, occupied West Bank - Occupation forces abducted a Palestinian from Qabatiya
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- Parent Category: OPPRESSION
- Category: Razzias (raids)
20251201 - east of Nablus, occupied West Bank - Israeli occupation forces during a razzia in the village of Beit Dajan
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- Parent Category: OPPRESSION
- Category: Razzias (raids)
20251201 - Hebron, occupied West Bank - Israeli occupation forces held a razzia in the Al-Ahli Hospital