Introduction: Occupied and Occupiers—The Israeli Case

Abstract

AbstractThe introduction chapter presents a new conceptual general framework that analyses the relationship between the occupier and the occupied society. It suggests that an occupation cannot operate in separation from the occupying society, especially when the occupier settles in spaces which are the perceived as a continuation of the homeland territory, as in the Israeli case. Following the occupation by the military forces the boundaries expand, albeit mainly for the occupiers; and a continuous process of interaction between occupiers and occupied begins. These processes touch upon every aspect of the collective life of the occupied and occupying societies, including in the military, political, societal, economic and cultural domains. The chapter then presents the legal considerations regarding the nature of occupation in general and prolonged occupation in particular. This is followed by a brief outline of the physical costs of the occupation on the Palestinian society, as well on the Israeli society.