Dear Editor,
The Jan. 30 news article “Israel seizes on annexation proposal” misconstrued an important point about Israel’s settlements in the West Bank. Two individuals quoted in the article properly said Israel may “apply Israeli law to the settlements.” But the reporter repeatedly mischaracterized that possibility as an “annexation.”
When the 1922 British Mandate for Palestine reserved Palestine for the nation that became Israel, that binding international law included the West Bank. Israel could not take control of the West Bank (and other parts of the disputed territories) because of an illegal Arab invasion. However, the Arab occupation did not diminish Israel’s sovereign rights. Israel remained eligible to govern the embattled land.
The current U.S. peace proposal makes it politically possible for Israel to apply its long-standing legal authority over the West Bank. If Israel takes advantage of the opportunity, it will be a lawful act of sovereignty, not an illegal annexation.
Joel M. Margolis