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: ARMED ANNEXING BELLIGERENT
- Category: HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
20231124 - unknown place,West Bank - Israeli occupiers takes a 7 years old boy at school
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Targeting ambulances, medical personnel & hospitals
20231121 - Tulkarm, West Bank - Israeli occupiers taking a patient from an ambulance in the yard of Thabet Thabet hospital
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- Parent Category: OPPRESSION
- Category: Depriving the freedom of movement
20231119 - Jenin, West Bank - An ambulance have been blocked from reaching the wounded
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Targeting ambulances, medical personnel & hospitals
20231119 - Jenin, West Bank - An ambulance have been blocked from reaching the wounded
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Use of technology for oppressive objectives
20231119 - news - Israelis use robotic weapons in the West Bank
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Beating, torture, other prisoner rights abuses
20231118 - Balata camp, east of Nablus, West Bank - Israeli occupier hits a Palestinian with a rifle in his own home
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Targeting ambulances, medical personnel & hospitals
20231118 - Jenin, West Bank - Israelis raid into Al Shifa Hospital (yes, there is one in Jenin)
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- Parent Category: ARMED ANNEXING BELLIGERENT
- Category: Targeting religion
20231117 - Budrus, West Bank - Video from unknown date shows Israeli occupier throws an grenade into a mosque during call for prayer
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Beating, torture, other prisoner rights abuses
20231117 - unknown place, West Bank - Israeli occupiers violating Geneva Convention by forcing Palestinians being naked (1)