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: OPPRESSION
- Category: Depriving the freedom of movement
20251102 - Tell, south of Nablus - Israeli occupation forces hinder Palestinian traffic in the town
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Targeting ambulances, medical personnel & hospitals
20251102 - Beit Furik, east of Nablus - Israelis intercept the ambulance carrying the 19 years old Palestinian shot by colonizing terrorists
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Injuring or killing of occupied civilians
20251102 - Hebron, occupied West Bank - Colonizing terrorist shot and killed a Palestinian near the northern entrance to the city
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Vandalism
20251101 - Qabatiya, south of Jenin - Occupation troops have beaten a non-detained Palestinian and ransacked his home
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- Parent Category: OPPRESSION
- Category: Razzias (raids)
20251101 - Qabatia, south of Jenin - Israeli occupation forces during a razzia
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Beating, torture, other prisoner rights abuses
20251101 - Qabatiya, south of Jenin - Occupation troops have beaten a non-detained Palestinian and ransacked his home
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Targeting ambulances, medical personnel & hospitals
20251101 - east of Nablus, occupied West Bank - Israelis block an ambulance with patient in critical condition at the Beit Furik checkpoint
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Targeting ambulances, medical personnel & hospitals
20251101 - east of Nablus, occupied West Bank - Israelis block an ambulance with patient in critical condition at the Beit Furik checkpoint
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- Parent Category: ARMED ANNEXING BELLIGERENT
- Category: Targeting religion
20250923 - Hebron, West Bank - Israeli occupation forces resort to religious apartheid.
