George Will Says It--Just Like That

In a Sunday op-ed, George Will writes that Many possible Israeli concessions would be suicidal.

While reading his article, one thing really jumped out at me--see if you can spot what it is:

The only place for a Palestinian state is the West Bank, which Israel has occupied -- legally under international law -- since repelling the 1967 aggression launched from there. The West Bank remains an unallocated portion of the Palestine Mandate, the disposition of which is to be settled by negotiations. Michael Oren, now Israel's ambassador to the United States, said several years before becoming ambassador:

Did you spot it?


When is the last time that you read an article where it said, just in passing, that the land Israel captured in the 1967 War is currently under Israeli control "legally under international law". No argument, no discussion--he just takes it as a given and goes on to his main points.

I imagine that this line came as a surprise to many, if for no other reason than that they are just so used to reading those who take the opposite position as a given and disparage those who even remotely disagree.

Reading Georg Will's article is not going to convince anyone of Israel's position, but maybe it will wake up some people that there actually is a basis in international law for Israeli control of the West Bank.

Who knows, it might actually get some people...thinking.

Technorati Tag: Israeli Settlements and Israeli Occupation.