Israeli Military Law Reshapes West Bank Geography and Demographics, Study Finds

A doctoral study by Dr. Qamar Mishrki-Assad, a human rights lawyer, argues that Israeli military law and regulations in the West Bank are tools used to systematically alter the region's geography and demographics, furthering the settlement project.

Her research, titled "Power, Law, and Place Under Occupation," examines how the Israeli military commander utilizes concepts like "temporary status" and national security measures to serve the settlement agenda. Under the guise of a sustained "temporary status," commanders control population movement, seize private land, issue demolition orders, and impose restrictions, all legitimized by military orders and laws. This process, according to Mishrki-Assad, leads to a tangible change in the geographical and demographic landscape.

The study, which uses the village of Susiya in the Hebron Hills as a case study between 1967 and 1998, asserts that this is a continuation and deepening of the settlement project initiated in 1948. It highlights how legal mechanisms have been employed to shrink Palestinian spaces and create new settlement areas, effectively erasing Palestinian presence.

Mishrki-Assad, who co-directs the "Haqel" organization for human rights in the occupied territories, explains that her legal work on land and population issues in the West Bank, particularly in the southern Hebron region (Masafir Yatta and Shifa Yatta), informed her academic research. She notes that the Israeli legal system, including the declaration of state lands and the use of archaeological sites or security pretexts, has been instrumental in facilitating land confiscation for settlement expansion.

The study also touches upon the role of the Israeli Supreme Court, which often upholds military commander decisions, and the challenges Palestinians face in asserting their land rights. Despite slow legal victories, Mishrki-Assad emphasizes the ongoing struggle for Palestinian resilience and their determination to remain on their land.