Unmasking the occupation of Palestine: Breach of morality, human rights, integrity

The occupation of Palestine stands as an ethically fraught phenomenon, which poses significant challenges to both the moral fabric of the globe and the international human rights framework. It represents a breach of fundamental ethical principles, a contradiction of international norms and a flagrant disregard for the well-being and integrity of the occupied.

Recognising the inherent ethical dilemmas of the occupation of Palestine is essential for fostering a world that upholds the dignity, autonomy and rights of all individuals. Occupation is a direct violation of the United Nations Charter. The Charter that seeks to prevent the use of force in a manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations, and the annexation of Palestinian territory through occupation is one such use of brutal force.

The forceful occupation of Palestinian land raises serious legal concerns. It often involves exerting control without consent, and violating principles of self-determination and autonomy, in contradiction to the established international norms. These transgressions not only violate legal and ethical norms but also sustain a state of vulnerability and subjugation for Palestinians, undermining their basic human rights and freedoms.

The politics of occupation exact a harrowing toll, stripping individuals of their liberty, exposing them to torture, and, grievously, snuffing out innocent lives. This unrelenting occupying authority may even resort to ethnic cleansing, manipulating its authority to shift the demographic balance in its own favour. These deliberate strategies aim to entrench the supremacy of the occupying power, leaving behind a legacy of intergenerational trauma rooted in historical events like the Nakba in 1948 and Naksa in 1967.

Moreover, the economics of occupation play a significant role. By exerting control over vital resources and infrastructure, the occupying power stifles the occupied population's potential for growth and prosperity. This manipulation also hampers a nation's ability to pursue economic and social development.

In addition to these economic constraints, the psychology of occupation employs sinister tactics. Memoricide, the deliberate erasure of cultural, historical and collective memory, is a prevalent strategy utilised by the occupier against Palestine and its heritage. This includes confiscating cultural artifacts, distorting and falsifying history, and appropriating the collective memory of Palestinians in an attempt to symbolically erase Palestine's indigenous culture, perpetuating a narrative that denies the legitimate existence of Palestinians. However, the Palestinian multifaceted resistance is safeguarding the Palestinian traditions, history and grand and popular cultures within Palestine, from being annihilated by the occupier.

In contemplating the response to occupation, the profound injustice of territorial usurpation, universally decried, reveals itself as an aggressive, potentially colonialist force that begets resistance against the grave injustices suffered by the oppressed. This fervor is ignited in the pursuit of reclaiming freedom. Often, resistance movements emerge as the colonised rightly identify the occupier as an oppressor and coloniser. This conviction gave rise to the right of resistance, manifested in powerful acts of material and existential defiance, intifadas and steadfast civil disobedience.

This underscores the urgent call for the international community to wield its influence in upholding our fundamental human rights and shared values, thereby securing the right to live free from occupation. The international legal authority must stand firm, utilising diverse methods to halt occupations and ensure accountability for occupiers. It is imperative to guarantee a swift and just resolution for any occupation, safeguarding the rights and sovereignty of affected countries and putting an end to the transgressions and atrocities inflicted by occupying forces upon the Palestinian people and their territories.

The brutality of occupation lies not only in its ability to dismantle physical structures but in its capacity to shatter the very essence of human dignity, leaving wounds on the soul that may never fully heal.

Just as nations and peoples seek security and safety in their countries and homes and invest in opportunities within their territories to improve their quality of life, Palestinians also aspire to attain this very same right. Are the principles of justice and human rights not universally applicable in this context?

The writer is an associate professor at the American University of Madaba and an academic activist