Fundamental goal of occupation is taking the 'maximum amount of Palestinian territory'

Paul Reichler says the ultimate goal of the occupation is the “permanent acquisition of the maximum amount of Palestinian territory with the minimum number of Palestinians in it”.

He adds that “armed groups of settlers, supported by Israel’s occupation forces and encouraged by government ministers, have violently expelled thousands of peaceful Palestinian civilians from their ancestral villages and lands.”

“The measures taken by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory lead to fundamental changes, particularly demographic changes, that can have a permanent character,” Reichler tells the court. 

“The only state besides Fiji to defend Israel is the US," says Reichler.

“This is not surprising; whatever offences against international law Israel commits, the US comes forward to shield it from accountability.

“Here the US attempts to defend Israel not by arguing that the occupation is lawful but that it is neither lawful nor unlawful.

“To reach this conclusion, the US argues that belligerent occupation is governed exclusively by international humanitarian law and not by the UN charter or general international law.”