re: who owns that land? Deeds? Titles?
Steven Rogers has answered that question better than I can.
Let's look at a current, specific example of this: Who owns the land where the Wall is being built?
1. The Wall is being built on land owned by Arabs, not Israelis. So, it is almost exclusively Arab houses and orchards that are being torn down, to make way for the Wall. map: gush-shalom.org
2. The Israeli government publishes a map showing the route, and then puts up notices, telling the Arabs what property will be taken. The Arabs have no input, in this decision.
3. Officially, the Arabs still own the land. The land for the Wall itself, and adjacent fortifications, is "leased". These leases are compulsory and open-ended. If an Arab goes on to the land he "owns", he will be arrested or shot.
4. Much of the land on the Israeli side of the Wall, is still officially owned by Arabs. At any time, for any reason, the Israeli government can take it, a power they exercise freely. But, even for the land they leave to the Arabs, access is denied. When they protest this, the Arabs are given vague promises (without details or time-frames), that checkpoints will be placed in the Wall, to provide access. The track record of checkpoints, is that they involve long waits, and frequent arbitrary closures. They are used as a tool for collective punishment of Arabs by Israelis. Perishable crops like olives, tomatoes, and fruits cannot be harvested or brought to market, under these conditions, so use of the land is effectively denied. No compensation is given, for this de facto seizure.
So, Israel gets all the control that comes with ownership, without paying for it (except in the blood exacted by suicide bombers), and maintains the pretense that they aren't taking Arab land. |
