Israeli Settlements

Israeli settlements. Do these settlements amount to theft of Palestinian lands?

Let us put aside "common sense" for a moment and delve into the landscape of lawyers. Lawyers do not ever use "common sense" to decide an issue, they weave elaborate webs of case law to give advantage of one party over another.

(See here) where Peace Now reports that nearly 40% of Israeli settlements are built on land confiscated from private ownership by Palestinians.

(See here) an Israel Insider piece that rebuts the Peace Now claims.

To which side of the argument should the "Scales of Justice" swing?

Well, the right wing Israeli argument is based upon exploitation of a factor of Palestinian society land ownership. Much of this land does not have clear ownership title established even though exploitation of this land, with olive groves and the like, has been allowed by private individuals. Where clear ownership is not established, right wing Israelis think they have the right to confiscate this land.

I'm sorry to whomever this might offend, but the "Scales of Justice" swing towards the Peace Now position. It is not correct that in every case where ownership is in question, Jewish "public" ownership is then supreme. Why not is the Palestinian portion of this "public" ownership represented? Why must it always result in this "public" land being sold to Jewish interests and Jewish dominated subdivisions springing up as a result?

Anyone that seeks to claim that Jewish settlement expansion within the West Bank is not as a result of the illegitimate confiscation of Palestinian lands has their head stuck up those portions of their body where it stinks.