Following the findings of the Levy Committee, reported on Monday, that declared that Israel’s settler population and military control of the West Bank does not constitute an occupation, Haaretz have reported that Israeli Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein is likely to reject the report.Former Supreme Court Vice President Edmond Levy’s panel stated that subsequent to it’s decision that Israel did not occupy the West Bank, international law was not applicable and therefore all settlement construction was legal.
Haaretz quoted an un-named senior legal source who stated,
‘The position that the laws of occupation do not apply in the territories is ridiculous and has no basis in reality… It will make Israel look ridiculous, and it’s difficult to believe that Weinstein would allow that to happen.’
Israel’s closest international ally, the United States is said to be displeased by the findings of the court and will continue to oppose settlement construction, considered by the international community to be in direct contravention of the 4th Geneva Conventions.
The conventions state that any territory conquered by military force may not have a civilian population transferred onto the occupied land, yet Israel has over 200 settlements across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
The Levy Committee came in direct response to pressure from settler groups who were angered by the State of Israel’s decision to dismantle a small number of buildings earlier this year.
The constructions were part of an outpost deemed illegal under Israeli national law, but following their dismantling, Benjamin Netanyahu’s government approved construction of over 300 new units which it deemed ‘legal’.
