Critics Charge That Israeli Labor Bill For Female Settlers Is A Cover For Creeping Annexation

[Purveyor]

By TIA GOLDENBERG and ARON HELLER | ASSOCIATED PRESS |

At first glance, a proposed new bill asking Israel's parliament to extend Israeli labor law to the West Bank and protect women against unlawful dismissal seems innocuous enough.

But critics say that under the guise of woman's rights, the bill's true intent is to further entrench Israeli control over occupied territory the Palestinians seek for their future state.

The debate sheds light on the complex and distinct legal system Israel has cultivated during its 46-year control of the West Bank. Since Israel has never annexed the territory, it technically remains under military rule, creating a bewildering legal reality.

For the 340,000 Jewish settlers in the West Bank, most of Israel's criminal and civilian laws apply. They vote in Israeli elections, enlist for compulsory military service, pay their taxes to the state and get speeding tickets from Israeli police.

But these core laws are applied on a personal rather than a geographic basis, meaning they apply to Israelis because of their citizenship and regardless of their location.

MORE...

http://www.newser.com/article/da8maf6o2/critics-charge-that-israeli-labor-bill-for-female-settlers-is-a-cover-for-creeping-annexation.html

[Ken Burch]

1. Probably is. I suspect we're going to see a whole bunch of

"Annexation can SO be progressive" measures passed through the Knesset in the next few years.

And AIPAC will trumpet every one as a case for keeping the IDF and the settlements in the West Bank forever, even though AIPAC knows that doing that means that peace can never happen.