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Do Israeli Arrest Raids "Violate International Law"?

(HonestReporting) Akiva Van Koningsveld - Media pundits have frequently decried IDF counterterrorism raids in Palestinian cities, claiming that these actions somehow violate international law. It is disturbingly common for talking heads, NGOs, and self-declared experts to state that something "violates international law" without saying which law it violates, and without providing any substantial legal analysis as to how it contravenes that law. The Oslo Accords, forged in the 1990s between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), effectively constitute legally binding treaties between the two under customary international law. Per the Oslo process, the Palestinian Authority was given full security and civil control over Area A of the West Bank, which includes all major Palestinian cities. Crucially, the IDF withdrawal from Area A was conditioned on the Palestinian leadership vowing to fight terrorism and incitement to hatred. Indeed, the PA's responsibility to combat terror is enshrined throughout the Oslo agreements. The Vienna Convention which codifies universal rules governing treaties, embraces the principle that international agreements are reciprocal. Accordingly, if the PA refuses to act against incessant terrorism emanating from areas under its control, Israel would likely be entitled to suspend "in whole or in part" its redeployment from parts of the West Bank. In recent years, PA police inaction has led to U.S.-designated terror groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, effectively controlling the streets of Jenin and Nablus. With Ramallah skirting its obligation to apprehend, prosecute, and jail terrorists, Israeli raids on Palestinian terror hubs are not a "violation of international law." On the contrary: the Israeli government has a duty to act against terror groups to protect the safety and welfare of its own citizens. Sadly, social media pundits only seem to care about international law when it can be weaponized against the Jewish state.
2023-03-16 00:00:00
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