The disputed territories are not "occupied territories", as claimed by the Arab, Islamist perpetual political propaganda. The territories of Gaza, Judea and Samaria (wrongfully called the "West Bank") are orphaned portions of the Palestine Mandate that, since 1948, have never been allocated to a sovereign nation (on that note, there has never ever been a sovereign Arab nation-state of Palestine) or assigned fixed boundaries.



Given the historical and legal record, the Jewish claims to the disputed areas are at least as strong as the Arab "Palestinian" claims, if not much stronger. Israel lost its rightful territories during its defensive War of Independence, when five Arab armies attacked with the intent to annihilate the only Jewish nation-state in the entire world ? Israel. The disputed territories of Judea, Samaria and Gaza were occupied by Egypt and Jordan illegally for nineteen years, from May 1948 through June 1967. Israel re-conquered its rightful territories when the Arabs again attacked with the intent "to push Israel into the sea."



According to international law, when a nation is an aggressor and attacks another nation, it loses all claim to the land it loses.



Israeli control over its territories was never an "illegal occupation" and its so-called "settlements" do not violate international law.



One could just as easily call the Palestinian Authority / Palestine Liberation Organization the illegal occupiers, which, in fact, they are. Since the so called Oslo "peace accords", the PA/PLO was given control and domination of these territories, only to unleash a bloody campaign of hatred, incitement, terrorism and violence through its state-controlled media, public and religious institutions.



An accusation of Israeli "occupation" bears no relationship with reality or truth. In fact, since 1995, 97% of the Arab "Palestinians" have been under PA/PLO control, domination and governance. Israel has been the only force trying to resolve the disputed territories' final status and end the problems of which the Arabs complain, but do nothing to end except create destruction and further division.



Arguing that these disputed territories are "occupied", or that the so-called "settlements" are illegal, is largely part of a perpetual political propaganda campaign launched by the Arab League, a la the Nazi technique that if you repeat a lie often enough, eventually people will believe it. The Arab and Islamist propaganda campaign has been very successful thus far. This is clearly evident as the media, sworn to accuracy, has become biased against Israel and the truth, and has allowed itself to be used as a tool of this propaganda.



A derisive use of "settlers" and "settlements" is meant to imply a group of gypsies or Wandering Jews, who live in tents, trailers and the like, when, in fact, the Arabs who settled in the region at the impetus of neighboring Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria are the true settlers and squatters.



Most settled in the region in the 1920s, when they escaped economic and political oppression in their own Arab homelands for a better opportunity under the Jews in British-occupied Palestine. The others infiltrated these territories during all of the Arab wars against Israel.



Although Israel owes absolutely nothing to the Arabs, it has sought to trade its land three times, twice with Egypt and Jordan successfully, and once with the terrorist organization PA/PLO. Although it does not negate its rightful claim to its land, Israel highlights its willingness to make significant compromises for peace.



Here are a few historical facts for the record regarding these disputed territories:



Jewish habitation in the land has been continuous since 1000 BCE, when Jewish tribes founded a kingdom in what is now Israel and the territories.



Even after Rome conquered and exiled the Jews, many remained and flourished in the region. The exiled Jews did not lose their identity and prayed daily to return. Over time, thousands did, by exercising their "right of return" to their G-d-given gift of the Holy Land, or Promised Land as set forth in the Bible, the Deed of Trust to the land. This was given in an eternal covenant that can never ever be broken or replaced.



In fact, the Jewish people became the majority people in Jerusalem again by 1844. Jews pray towards the holy city of Jerusalem three times daily. It has been the capital of Israel since ancient Biblical times and shall remain so eternally.



The Romans conquered and renamed the land Palaestina, which evolved into Palestine - and the Jewish people, Palestinians - as an insult, after their enemies, the Philistines. The Philistines are a distinct, extinct people and not the same as the Arabs who have hijacked the name to lay claim to the land by calling themselves "Palestinians". The Philistines were a Mediterranean seafaring nation, and the Arabs, who came into the picture much later, are the descendants of Ishmael.



After Rome fell, Palestine became a minor district ruled by a succession of empires and occupiers.



Modern international agreements legally confirmed the Jewish right to rebuild their homeland in present-day Israel and its territories.



The Balfour Declaration by the British in 1917 called for "close settlement" of the land by the Jews. This declaration was incorporated by the League of Nations into the British Mandate (or Palestine Mandate) and later, by the United Nations by way of Article 80 of its charter.



The British Mandate's original boundaries included present-day Jordan. The British later reneged on the Balfour Declaration and the UN Charter by giving away 80% of the land allocated for a Jewish homeland to the UK's Arab allies, as a concession based on political influence. This giveaway took place during 1921. Today, many claim that the Arabs already have an Arab "Palestine": the fictitious Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, formerly Trans-Jordan, on land belonging to Israel and the Jewish people.



The territories are disputed land because they are unallocated portions of the British Mandate.



In 1948, UN resolution 181 recommended dividing further the remaining 20% of the Mandate land into Arab and Jewish states. The Jews, left with the short end of the stick, so to speak, still accepted the plan. Better a piece of the pie than nothing at all, the Jewish leadership rationalized.



Who knew? Maybe the British and the rest of the world would not allow a Jewish homeland altogether. Worried about a world that does not keep its promise, Israel agreed.



On the other hand, Arab nations completely refused to negotiate with, or even recognize, the Jewish state. The Arabs want the whole pie.



Arab nations launched an aggressive attack, effectively nullifying the resolution. The international community never approved the illegal occupation of Gaza, Judea and Samaria by Egypt and Jordan; therefore, the territories' boundaries and national affiliation remained unresolved.



When Israel again was attacked by Arabs, with the intent to annihilate it form the map, it became the rightful owner of the territories. Israel reconquered its lost lands of Gaza, Judea and Samaria in another defensive war, and its subsequent administration of the territories was entirely legal.



UN Resolution 242 presumed Israel, as victor, would administer the territories until Arab enemy nation states would commit to a "just and lasting peace." But once again, as usual, Arab countries refused to comply because they wanted the whole pie. No negotiations. No recognition of a Jewish state. Resolution 242 also presumed Israel would negotiate new, more defensible borders. Consequently, it stipulated that once peace was made, Israel should "withdraw from territories" ? not all territories ? captured during the conflict (according to US negotiator, Eugene Rostow, The New Republic, April 23, 1990 and October 21, 1991).



Anti-Israel propaganda exaggerates the size and threat posed by Jewish settlements.



The built-up areas of Jewish settlement cover 1.7% of the land in the territories. The municipal boundaries cover 6.8%. Minor border changes, as called for in resolution 242, could easily reincorporate 80% of the so called "settlers" (citizens of Israel) living along the pre-1967 borders.



Jewish settlers should be morally and legally able to remain in the territories even if a second Arab "Palestinian" state is established via deception and fraud. 1.2 million Arabs live in Israel. Why should Jews continue to be barred from living in Arab countries?



Virtually no Jews live in Arab Islamist nations today. They were expelled forcibly, after being murdered and robbed, from places they lived in for hundreds of years, such as Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen. Over one million Jewish refugees from Arab lands. The Forgotten Exodus.



The "moral of the story" is based completely on facts, logic, reality and truth.



Arabs from neighboring nations of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria never considered themselves a distinct "Palestinian" nation and people. This identity only came into being after Israel became the only Jewish nation-state and a beacon of democracy and freedom in a sea of corrupt dictatorships, human rights violators, ruthless, repressive regimes, state supporters of terrorism and tyrannies, in the very bad neighborhood known as the medieval Middle East. The Palestinian people was designed for the eventual farcical and fictitious Arab "Palestine", to legitimize a claim to a land through lies, manipulations and propaganda. To create an Arab "fifth column" and "Trojan horse" that might do what the Arabs could not do through several aggressive attacks and external wars.



Arabs living in Palestine, as guests, refugees from their own homelands who sought economic and political refuge, and squatters, never demanded that the Egyptians or Jordanians make the disputed territories into a separate nation. Arabs only demanded sovereignty after Israel's 1967 victory.



Can Israel be carved up any further?



These territories - the disputed territories of Gaza, Judea and Samaria - belong to Israel Biblically, historically, legally, morally and rightfully.