Essay --

At the core of the conflict between the States of Palestine and Israel is constant development of new settlements by the State of Israel in Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) in the effort to fragment the Palestinian State in order to preclude the establishment of a structured, Country of Palestine. Despite numerous Security Council Resolutions condemning such settlements and reaffirming their illegality, Israel continues to erect settlements in The West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, refusing to withdraw from them and supposing a barrier between themselves and any potential peace solution that could be achieved or that have tried to be arrived to in the past. The Israelis have varying levels of authority in the Occupied Palestinian territories, but mostly retain full control of such regions, without any indications of possible leniencies arising. Apart from constituting serious breaches in the humanitarian law, the settlements are illegal by international law and viol ate the 4th Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian persons in Times of War. Regardless of this and using numerous justifications that call upon the right of the Israelis to settle in Palestinian Territory, settlement growth continues to increase even as international pressure for peace also becomes stronger. 1948- 1968 In May 1948 the State of Israel declares it independence. From this declaration to the Six Day War, there is no settling taking place due to Israel being at constant conflict with its neighboring Arab States. In 1967, the Six Day War marks what have come to be called the 1967 borders. Israel illegally annexes 70km2including considerable portions of Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. This same year, Israel’s De... ...srael’s security and that therefore must be annexed. The plan is not yet taken to action but will serve as a future reference for security oriented settlements. In 1982 the government continues to rule out any potential peace plans that could involve land being taken away from the State of Israel. The Prime Minister in 1984, Isaac Shamir presents his plan according to The A Hundred Thousand Plan contrived by the Ministry of Agriculture for settlements up to 2010 and emphasises there would be no change in the sovereignty held in the West bank. 1988-1992 During this period of time, the amount of Israeli settlements increases by 60%, following the Hundred Thousand Plan. The Israeli government continues to be transparent in its desire to continue building settlements and ensuring the development of them through infrastructure and control. By the end of this period,