Katy Greene
February 6th, 2009
A leftist Israeli group announced on Friday that they were beginning a campaign to assist Palestinians in suing the state of Israel. They would sue because Israel has been using their private lands without permission. Yesh Din is the leader of the group, and he has come forth with new information and government documents that reveal Israel has been constructing on the West Bank against their own laws.
Buildings are being built without the right permits and entire neighborhoods are being constructed on Palestinian lands. This information would be very embarassing for Israel, and could perhaps play a role in foreign intervention in their affairs. Yesh Din says that now many Palestinians have a valid legal claim against the Israeli government, and can go to court. They can demand that the buildings be demolished, or for reperations from the years that they have been unable to use their private lands. If Israel fails to compensate them, they will most likely turn to foreign courts.
Many people around the world agree that Israel's construction on the West Bank is in violation of international law. Israel argues that they have a right to the land because their ancestors lived there. The real issue is the fact that Israel has violated its own laws and has not honored Palestinian property rights. I think that this information will prove very important in international percepetion of the Israeli and Palestinian conflicts. Israel should not be allowed to seize land from the Palestinians, and needs to treat all of the citizens equally and with respect.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/31/world/middleeast/31mideast.html?scp=8&sq=israel&st=cse
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