Beyond Occupation: Apartheid, Colonialism and International Law in the Occupied Palestinian Territories

Beyond Occupation analyses three critical terms that regularly arise in contemporary arguments about Israel’s practices towards Palestinians in the occupied territories – occupation, colonialism and apartheid – and explores the degree to which their definitions in international law truly apply to Israel’s policies. Colonialism and apartheid are serious breaches of human rights law while apartheid is a crime against humanity. The contributors present conclusive evidence that Israel’s administration of the Palestinian territories is consistent with colonialism and apartheid. Furthermore, the authors demonstrate the deliberateness of Israeli state policies, imposed on the Palestinian civilian population under military occupation. These findings raise serious implications for the legality and legitimacy of Israel’s continuing occupation of the Palestinian territories and the responsibility of the entire international community to challenge practices considered contrary to fundamental values of the international legal order.

• Edited By Virginia Tilley