The Israel-Palestine Conflict in International Law: Territorial Issues

This paper addresses the question of what territory a future State of Palestine may lay claim to under contemporary international law. It also addresses the question of what is the legal basis for, and integrity of, Israel’s territorial claims. Further, should the Middle East Peace Process fail, the question arises whether Israel could lawfully retain the occupied territories under its control

Occupation, colonialism, apartheid? A re-assessment of Israel’s practices in the occupied Palestinian territories under international law

This study was commissioned and coordinated by the Middle East Project (MEP) of the Democracy and Governance Programme, a research programme of the Human Sciences Research Council of South Africa. The genesis of this study was the suggestion made in January 2007 by Professor John Dugard, in his capacity as UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, that Israel’s military occupation displays elements of colonialism and apartheid. The Human Sciences Research Council commissioned this study to scrutinise Professor Dugard’s hypothesis from the perspective of international law. Over a period of 15 months, the team of scholars engaged in extensive research, discussion, and rounds of lively debate through seven drafts. The result is the consensus represented in this report, offered here for public discussion. Constructive criticism is welcomed, in order that shortcomings in this document may be addressed in a future edition. Although this study is essentially a legal document, observations from other disciplines are encouraged