Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed the historical and legal claims of the Jewish people to Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria in a bold statement posted on his verified Twitter account. The remarks coincide with ongoing international discussions and legal opinions regarding Israeli settlements in these regions.
Including Judea and Samaria, which he described as the “historical homeland” of the Jewish people, and Jerusalem, which he called the “eternal capital” of Israel, Netanyahu stressed that the Jewish people are not occupiers in their own land. His remarks directly contradict the viewpoints and judgments of international organizations that have frequently criticized Israeli settlement activities, such as the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
“The Jewish people are not occupiers in their own land, including in our eternal capital Jerusalem nor in Judea and Samaria, our historical homeland,” Netanyahu tweeted. “No absurd opinion in the Hague can deny this historical truth or the legal right of Israelis to live in their own communities in our ancestral home.”
Netanyahu’s remarks highlight the administration’s position on the divisive topic of Israeli settlements. The West Bank, as these areas are often called, has been a major point of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; perspectives regarding its legal status vary greatly amongst other countries. The Israeli government regards these lands as an integral part of the Jewish state, citing historical, biblical, and legal basis for its claims.
Based on interpretations of the Fourth Geneva Convention, international organizations, including the United Nations, frequently hold the view that the Israeli settlements in these regions are illegal under international law. Israel, on the other hand, contests this view, claiming that Jews have a historical and legal right to live on the disputed territory….Seë_Morë