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: Beating, torture, other prisoner rights abuses
20231102 - unknown place, West Bank - Israelis share their war violation online
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Injuring or killing of occupied civilians: children
20231102 - Al-Bireh, West Bank - Child named Ayman Shaf'i was killed by Israelis today
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Injuring or killing of occupied civilians
20231102 - Jenin, West Bank - Israeli occupier kills Palestinian in front of the main entrance to Ibn Sina Hospital
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- Parent Category: DEMOGRAPHIC ALTERATION
- Category: Forced eviction
20231030 - news forced eviction / home takeover - Palestinians are being forced to evict their homes by colonizing terrorists
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Targeting ambulances, medical personnel & hospitals
20231027 - Hebron, West Bank - Dr. Farouk Ashour abducted
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Injuring or killing of occupied civilians
20231018 - Protesters being shot by Israeli snipers after throwing stones
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Targeting ambulances, medical personnel & hospitals
20230704 - Jenin, West Bank - Israeli occupiers teargassing hospital
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- Parent Category: WAR CRIMES
- Category: Targeting reporters & journalists
20230703 - Jenin, West Bank - Israeli occupying soldier shoots at camera belonging to Alaraby TV