Three Israelis lynched on way to a pub

[Killiana1a]

Rath said:

Kasz216 said:

Can you even have a gripe with them over that?  I think that some settlements NEED to be kept.

Think about it this way.  You and someone else are having a disupute about some money.  A third party creates a settlement.   You agree... the other person gets his friends and tries to take all the money by force.

You and your friends win.

What are the chances now that you want to go through with it as listed?

Maybe it's me, but if you go against a proposed deal and then declare war... you should lose at least some of what you had.

Just letting people declare war and then get what they had coming anyway is just a REALLY bad precedent.

There are several points that are wrong in this post.

1) Punitive measures after wars cause trouble. Think Treaty of Versailles, which is a good deal less severe than annexing land.

 

2) Annexing land is blatantly against international law

"The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies."

That's part of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

 

3) Even is you accept that some sort of punishment is necessary for the six day war, don't you think depriving the Palestinians of nationhood for fifty something years is punishment enough without also annexing half of what little land they have left

 

4) It's arguable as to whether the Arabs are fully to blame for the six day war. Certainly both sides were gearing up for war for a while and the Israelis were the ones who (very cleverly) struck first by attacking the Egyptian air force. Or even before that by attacking the city of As-Samu.

 

Also, the international community is well against you on this one. Even America under George Bush was against the settlements.

I don't see the international community fielding a military to stop Israel. As the winners say, "Put up or shut up." The international community has done neither and their screeds of "Israel is violating international law" is about as informative and pleasing as a 6 year old throwing a tantrum over wanting 3 cookies instead of 2 cookies.

Like it or not, those who are strong (by strong I mean who has the best-trained, best equipped, and largest military) dictates matters over scarce resources such as land. It doesn't make their cause "right" or "just" by any means, but it is what it is. Warfare has had a more lasting impact on history than any peace movement, conglomeration of weak countries screeding "Your violating international law," and any international law.

I learned before the 11th grade a law that cannot be enforced is nothing more than words on paper. Thusforth, I have not been surprised over the UN being ineffectual in enforcing international law against a country like Israel.