Almog

The settlements are thought illegal according to international law, because it is illegal for an occupier to settle its citizens in occupied territory. On top of that, most settlments are built on private property of Palestinians. Some of the land was officially appropriated, some was evacuated on a military pretext (“it’s a fire zone!”, and later suddenly there’s a settlement on it), some is said to be bought but when you look into it, it turns out it was “bought” from someone who’s dead or five years old, etc.. And many times they get away with this, because the previous owners can’t even get to their lands anyway, and because the Israely law was never applied to the territories. The law that applies there is the military law, and the military is more concerned with safety and short-term stability than with justice.
Sometimes a case of apprehended land does come before the Israely court. Then the court avoids the international law question, and simply rules that the land belongs to the Palestinians, and that the settlers should be driven out. And then usually the government just doesn’t do it. The ministry of security, which is responsible, asks for a postponement, and the court grants them, and then they ask for another postponement… until at some point the court gets really angry and tells them off properly, and then grants them another postponement. And all the while the Palestinians don’t get their land back, and this is percieved as a conflict between the court an the settlers/government, the Palestinians who have lost their land and their living don’t even count.
The settlers argue, and in a way they are right, that they have settled there with the approval and support and encouragement of the government, and so it is unfair to drive them out. So the current government, which is the biggest supporter of the settlers, started thinking what can be done for them (that does not inculde giving them alternative land within the internationally-accepted boundaries of Israel, because where is the fun in that?). So, Prime-Minister Netanyahu apointed a commitee to compile a legal opinion about the status of the settlements. The appointed chairmen was a retired judge of the supreme court, an orthodox, known to be right-winged, but still, a respected and appreciated figure. And the commitee came up with the legal opinion, that the territories are NOT occupied.
Ah really? Then why the military law? And why don’t all inhabitants get Israely ids and vote for parliament?
I’d like to see them officially accept this opinion. I’d like to see them deal with the implications.
Another example of how things go in the not-at-all-occupied teritories:
The biggest settlement got acknoledged as a city, although it is really too small. This, of course, means bigger budgets and more priviledges. They even have a city college. That college wanted to become a proper university, which of course means bigger budgets etc.. But does a small state like Israel, with 7 universities already starving for funding, need another full university? Well, there is the council for academic aducation to determine that. But the council would not discuss institutions beyond the Green Line. So they appointed a LOCAL council (unlike any other locality) for academic education in the territories. Who appointed? Why, of course, the authority. And who is the authority in the territories? The military. So the chief commander of the military in the territories appointed the commitee, and the commitee, surprisingly, decided that the college becomes a university. It’s just pending the approval of, no, not the general commitee, not the minister of education. The authority – the cheif commander.
No occupation. No – none whatsoever.
I’ll just go band my head on a wall.

It’s difficult. Ugh. I should marry a rich man. No, I shouldn’t really.

except maybe at the very beginnings. I’m either not that good at it, or I find the wrong men, or I attract intense emotions that are short-lived, or whatever. It may not be very important why, because I don’t plan to be in this distressing and painful situation anymore.
In contrast, I am very happy by myself. It’s been less than 3 weeks since we’ve finalised, or formalised, our breakup, and while I’ve been indescribably miserable at first (you have no idea), I’m already feeling almost happy now. Three weeks. After seven and a half years. With a man that I adore (still do, I’m afraid, but I’m almost over him by now).