Billo_Really, et al,
I tend to think of an "Occupation" as the final phase
(post-War Phase) of a conflict. Almost all conflict/wars come to an end; and
one of the options available to the Victor at the conclusion of a war/conflict is an "occupation." This is the decision to temporarily hold former enemy controlled territory. This is true of an Armistice, in that an armistice is an announced end to open hostilities, but not an end to the war/conflict culminating in a Treaty of Peace. An Armistice
(like that of Lebanon and Syria) does not achieve national political objectives in the same way as a Peace Treaty
(like that of Jordan and Egypt).
The last decades of the 20th Century and the first few decades of the 21st Century marks warfare
(the core combat phase) as a rapid development. Often less than a years. Wars/conflicts of short durations are characterized by a very short preparedness and planning period that follows war/conflict; and allows for the assumption of responsibility in the post-War/Conflict Phase. Similarly long wars/conflicts that have an exceptionally long Armistice period (long cessation of hostilities with no progress for a lasting peace) set a new set of conditions that will have an impact on the achievement of the national political objectives, that will leave the temporarily held enemy controlled territory in limbo. This is what the conditions are in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
On 6 February 1948, a communication to the Secretary-General, United Nations (UN) by Mr. Isa Nakhleh, Representative of the Arab Higher Committee (AHC) which made it clear that the AHC "Delegation solemnly declares that it is the unflinching determination of every Arab in Palestine to defend his country against any power or group of powers or any force going to Palestine to partition the country. The Arabs are in duty and honor bound to defend their country to the last man." (
A/AC.21/10) This is essentially a declaration of war between the AHC
(representing the Arab Palestinians) and the State of Israel. This was articulated in the 1
968 Palestinian National Charter AND again reemphasized in the
2005 Palestinian Charter of Honor,
(contained in the DCAF › Publications › Towards Palestinian National Reconciliation).
Third: External Relations
All confirm the following principles:
4. To confirm the legitimacy of the armed resistance, political strife, and all means of Jihad and struggle which the Palestinian people has exercised and is exercising to attain freedom and independence, and to lobby all powers to denounce all forms of occupation and tyranny in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, and each span occupied by the foreigner.
Abeer Ayyoub in Gaza City and Harriet Sherwood in Jerusalem
Tens of thousands celebrate Hamas 'victory' rally as exiled leader returns
Saturday 8 December 2012
Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal vowed Gaza's rulers would never give up "an inch of the land" to
Israel in an uncompromising speech before tens of thousands of cheering supporters at a triumphalist "victory" rally in Gaza City.
"Palestine is ours, from the river to the sea and from the south to the north. There will be no concession on an inch of the land," he told the crowd on his first visit to
Gaza. "We will never recognise the legitimacy of the Israeli occupation and therefore there is no legitimacy for Israel, no matter how long it will take."
Israel's occupation is morally defensible
(COMMENT)
There is a special connection between War/Conflict and Morality. It is akin to the Theory of Self-Defense. In war/conflict we say: Just War Theory. Prussian General Karl von Clausewitz, is known to have written: "war is the continuation of politics by other means." Clearly, this is quite suitable for the Arab-Israeli Conflict. This is where the UN Palestine Commission said: "Powerful Arab interests, both inside and outside Palestine, are defying the resolution of the General Assembly and are engaged in a deliberate effort to alter by force the settlement envisaged therein." Politics!
In the case of the Israelis, it is simplified: The need to defend the Jewish National Home is a matter of survival. And the Arab-Palestinians pose a threat to the battlefield conditions that permit an opportunity for the Israel to mount a reasonable defense. Sometimes, it is heard to be said: "indefensible borders." This is a variation on the theme that there are two moral approaches for consideration: (i) one for Israel (based on a strict moral code); (ii) and one for the Arab-Palestinians (based on sympathetic understanding).
Central to the issue of statehood is the understanding that
all warfare is precisely and ultimately, about sovereignty and its health and protection. When there is a dispute that impacts the safety and sovereignty of a nation, then Armed Conflict (War) becomes the method of dispute resolution.
(Note: It can be said that the reverse is true. This is call a commutative political property.)
Because there are, in higher forms of logic and philosophy, mathematical properties that are used to determine outcomes, these properties have have
correlative dual use in both studies.
Yes, war/conflict is a violent way for determining outcomes
(who gets to say what goes) on in a given territory, for example, regarding: who gets power, who gets wealth and resources, whose ideals prevail, and so on.
Morality is a social accepted definition based on the distinction between "right and wrong" - or - "good and evil." We determine what the proper political property is (politically) correct. There is no true definition to morally correct; except within the social norm of the ethnic group. Within some ethnic groups, cutting off hands, stoning, and honor killing are perfectly acceptable punishments and within the moral values of the society. Where in other societies, this would be considered barbaric.
THUS, if you come from a society that is willing to take certain risks with the safety and security of its national sovereignty and citizens, then the continued occupation necessary to insure that outcome is morally UN-acceptable.
If you come from a society that is NOT willing to take certain risks with the safety and security of its national sovereignty and citizens, then the continued occupation necessary to insure that outcome is morally acceptable.
This is an embedded concept to this oath.
"I, (
NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic;
that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;
and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me,
according to regulations and the
Uniform Code of Military Justice."
If the leadership of the United States came to the conclusion that "security the territory, establish occupation, and neutralizing the threat to America in Territory "X", and that the accomplishment of that mission was essential to our nation Nation, our continued survival, and our way of life; then it will be done. The war/conflict will be consider "JUST" and the occupation will be considered "moral."
Most Respectfully,
R