West Bank Segregation Barrier

8/3/2019 West Bank Segregation Barrier

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The West Bank Separation Barrier


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The Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process1987-1993 First intifada.

Sept. 1993Oslo Accords (Declaration of Principles on

Interim Self-Government Arrangements) Stipulated: Withdrawal of Israeli forces from some parts of the Gaza Strip and

the West Bank (Gaza and Jericho first) ; Creation of a Palestinian Authority;

Five-year transitional period;

Negotiation of a final status agreement (Jerusalem, Refugees,Settlements, Security Arrangements, Borders, and Relations andCooperation with Other Neighbors).

Sept. 1995 Interim Agreement - Division of West Bank into 3areas:

A (Palestinians responsible for internal security and public order); B (Palestinians responsible for public order for Palestinians, Israel

retains responsibility for security);

C (Israeli rule, to be gradually transferred to Palestinian Authority).

Nov. 4 1995 Rabin assassinated.


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The Al-Aqsa Intifada(Sept 2000 to the present)

Emerged out of growing Palestinian dissatisfactionwith the Oslo process, and the tensions followingthe failure of the Camp David Summit in July 2000(Barak, Arafat, and Clinton).

Feb. 2001 Sharon elected PM. 2001 and 2002 Clashes in the West Bank and

Palestinian suicide attacks in green line Israel. March-May 2002Operation Defensive Shield.

June 2002 Cabinet approves initial constructionof the separation barrier.

August 2005Unilateral disengagement fromGaza Strip and 4 settlements in the northern West

Bank.


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The Legal Status of the Separation Barrier

Legal framework: the International law of belligerent

occupation. The legal question: For what purpose is the military

commander of the West Bank authorized to appropriateland under the international law of belligerentoccupation?

Art. 52 (Hague)Requisitions in kind and services shallnot be demanded from municipalities or inhabitantsexcept for the needs of the army of occupation.

Questions:

Is the barrier a military necessity?Is the security benefit gained by erecting the barrier

proportional to the damage caused to the localpopulation?

Different approaches of the Israeli Supreme Court and

the International Court of Justice.


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Beit Sourik Village Council v.Government of Israel (HCJ 2056/04)

- 30 June 2004 - Is the separation barrier legal? Why?

What implications does the security

argument have for the route of the barriervis--vis the green line ?

How does the Court assess the legality of

the route? What method and tools of legalanalysis does it use?

What is the overall outcome?

P ti lit


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Proportionality:A Principle of International Law and

Israeli Administrative LawAccording to the principle of proportionality, the decision of anadministrative body is legal only if the means used to realizethe government objective is of proper proportion. The principleof proportionality focuses, therefore, on the relationshipbetween the objective whose achievement is being attempted,and the means used to achieve it.

1) Appropriate means test.

) The least injurious test.

) Is the damage caused disproportionate to the gain?

Does the route undermine the balance between the Military

Commanders obligation to preserve security and his

obligation to provide for the needs of the local inhabitants?

ICJ Ad i O i i


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ICJ Advisory Opinion onThe Legal Consequences of the Construction of a

Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

- 9 July 2004 -

Is the separation barrier legal? Why?

What implications does the security

argument have for the route of the barriervis--vis the green line ?

How does the Court assess the legality of

the route? What method and tools of legalanalysis does it use?

What is the overall outcome?


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Mara`abe v. Prime Minister And Alfei Menashe Local Council (HCJ 7957/2004)

- 15 September 2005 -


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http://www.pbase.com/yalop/2006&page=2http://www.pbase.com/yalop/2006&page=2


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http://www.pbase.com/yalop/2006&page=2


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Alfei Menashe - the HCJ Answers the ICJ

The ICJ concluded that the barrier was notnecessitated by security reasons due to insufficientfactual basisand an extensive discussion ofimpingement on Palestinian rights, but no discussion

of the Palestinian attacks. This is crucial, because in international law the legality

of the barrier depends on appropriate balancebetween security needs and impingement on

Palestinian rights. In Beit Sourik, the data was placedon a scale and weighed. In the ICJ ruling, only thedata regarding impingement on Palestinian rightsreceived weight.

Bil`i H bibti
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Bilìn Habibti

Chair of Bilìn Village Council v.

Government of Israel(HCJ 8414/05)

Seizure orders of spring 2004 left about ofBilìns village lands on the Israeli side of theseparation barrier, including land designated forplanned expansion of Modiìn Ilit (Matitiyahu East

neighborhood). Petition Submitted 5 September 2005.

Decided 4 September 2007.
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Documents

West Bank Segregation Barrier